The former TNT Champion faced Andrade El Idolo in a singles match at tonight’s Dynasty PPV. The stipulation was that Darby would get a world title shot if he won the bout.
The ending of this match saw Allin going for the pin after connecting the coffin drop, but Andrade manually stopped the referee, Aubrey Edwards, from counting to three.
Darby Allin then caught Andrade in the Last Supper to finally get the pin. After the match, El Idolo offered his hand to the winner, and Allin shook it.
This wasn’t the last of the new #1 contender we saw on the PPV, however, as Renee Paquette interviewed the daredevil star backstage later on.
The 33-year-old mentioned that Dynamite this week is going to be held in Everett, Washington, where he started his career. Darby Allin then announced that he will not be waiting until Double or Nothing, and whoever is the World Champion come Wednesday, will have to face him at the show.
.@DarbyAllin is officially the number one contender for the #AEW World Title, and this Wednesday on #AEWDynamite… it is showtime!
MJF is defending his AEW title against Kenny Omega in the main event of Dynasty. Stay tuned to find out who wins the match and faces Allin on Dynamite.
Jack Perry retained the AEW National Championship at AEW Dynasty Zero Hour on April 12, defeating Don Callis Family member Mark Davis in singles competition. Perry secured the pinfall victory with a hurricanrana.
The match saw Perry escape Davis’s signature Close Your Eyes and Count to Three maneuver before delivering a piledriver that nearly ended the contest. Perry got a close two count off the move before ultimately finishing Davis with the hurricanrana moments later.
This marked the first successful defense of Perry’s National Championship reign. He captured the title at AEW Revolution by winning the 21-man Blackjack Battle Royale.
Kyle O’Reilly appears set to make his return to AEW television tonight, and the timing could not be more significant.
Sources indicated to Bodyslam and Cassidy Haynes that O’Reilly is set to be revealed as the mystery partner for Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong at AEW Dynasty, where the trio will challenge The Dogs for the AEW World Trios Championship. O’Reilly has been absent from AEW programming since December, making his return a notable moment for the promotion heading into one of its bigger pay-per-view events of the year.
The setup was established on last night’s episode of AEW Collision, where Cassidy and Strong challenged The Dogs to a Trios Championship match at Dynasty while teasing that a mystery partner would complete their team.
O’Reilly has a well-established history with both Cassidy and Strong through their years together in Ring of Honor and across the independent circuit, making him a natural fit as the third member of the group.
AEW Dynasty takes place tonight. Check out the card here.
The Conglomeration star has been out of action due to an undisclosed injury since the Full Gear PPV last November. He was involved in a story with Death Riders before his hiatus, and Kyle had actually defeated Jon Moxley in a singles match in his last outing.
CHEK Media recently released a trailer for their upcoming interview with the AEW star, where he can be seen talking about his journey in pro wrestling. Among other things, the video also featured a clip of Kyle O’Reilly teasing a potential return at this weekend’s AEW show:
“I really wanna be ready in time for the Vancouver pay-per-view, which is Dynasty, coming up this weekend from Rogers Arena. So wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Maybe I’ll be back in time for that.”
The 2026 Dynasty PPV will be taking place from Rogers Arena in Kyle’s hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, this Sunday night on April 12.
The show will see Moxley in action against Will Ospreay in a singles bout, and it could be the perfect opportunity to reintroduce the 39-year-old on TV.
Jim Ross will not be calling AEW Dynasty on April 12 in Vancouver, but the WWE Hall of Fame commentator says he is feeling better than he has in a long time and expects to return to his regular schedule next month.
Ross addressed his status during the April 9 episode of Grilling JR, offering the most detailed update yet on where things stand following a frightening fall at home that left him on the floor for hours and kept him away from recent AEW programming.
“Probably next month, because I don’t think I’m gonna go to Vancouver. It’s a hard trip. That’s the only thing I have issues with in my life is traveling,” Ross said.
The 74-year-old cited the physical demands of long-distance travel as the main reason for sitting out the upcoming pay-per-view rather than any ongoing health concerns. He was honest about what makes the journey difficult while making clear his overall condition has improved significantly.
“Ramping and my legs hurt and all that shit. I’m up for anything, but flying that far is daunting, shall we say. But I feel good, I feel really good. I feel better than I’ve felt in a long time. I should be back to a normal schedule sooner than later,” Ross said.
The fall Ross suffered at home had raised concern among fans, given the severity of the incident and his age. The good sign is that his comments suggest the recovery has gone well and that his absence from Dynasty is a matter of caution rather than a sign of a longer-term issue.
Chris Jericho has officially confirmed his return to in-ring competition at AEW Dynasty on April 12 in Vancouver. The announcement came during a promo segment for Y2J on the April 8 episode of AEW Dynamite, where Jericho revealed a new contract with the promotion and immediately chose his opponent for the upcoming pay-per-view.
The segment centered around Jericho revealing that he has signed a new multi-year AEW deal. The former AEW Champion reflected on the risks he has taken throughout his career and his role in building the company. The veteran made it clear he’s not finished taking chances, despite approaching his first match in nearly a year.
Ricochet Interruption Leads to Dynasty Match
Before the contract signing could conclude, Ricochet interrupted and questioned Jericho’s readiness to return. He suggested the veteran stay away from active competition.
Jericho responded by revealing a key clause in his new deal that allowed him to choose his opponent for AEW Dynasty. After some back-and-forth, Jericho told Ricochet, ‘You just made the list,’ confirming the match for April 12.
The Dynasty bout marks Jericho’s first AEW match since April 6, 2025, when he lost the ROH World Championship to Bandido in a ‘Title vs. Mask’ bout. The veteran had been absent from the wrestling world since then.
Jericho made his surprise return on the April 1 episode of Dynamite in Winnipeg, re-emerging after his lengthy absence. The contract signing segment on April 8 provided the full picture of his comeback plans.
Tony Khan announced on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite that Kyle Fletcher is expected to miss several months of action due to a meniscus injury, along with additional undisclosed injuries sustained during the March 28 episode of AEW Collision.
As a result, the TNT Championship has been vacated. A Casino Gauntlet match will take place at AEW Dynasty on April 12 in Vancouver to crown a new champion.
Per Fightful Select, Fletcher’s meniscus injury alone would sideline him for quite some time, with the additional injuries expected to extend his recovery further. He had held the TNT Championship for 54 days, winning the title for the second time on the February 11 edition of Dynamite. Marq Quen is also out long-term with a separate injury.
Ciampa vs. Mascara Dorada to Determine First Entrant
To set the Casino Gauntlet field, Tommaso Ciampa will face Mascara Dorada later on tonight’s Dynamite. The winner earns the first entry spot in the match at AEW Dynasty on April 12 in Vancouver.
AEW Dynasty 2026 goes down this Sunday, April 12, live from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. It’s a loaded card headlined by three title matches and a fight that has been building since Kenny Omega returned to reclaim his legacy.
Key Points
Main Event: MJF defends the AEW World Championship against Kenny Omega in a rematch years in the making, with Omega’s health and future hanging over the match.
How to Watch: Sunday, April 12 at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on HBO Max (Zero Hour pre-show at 7 p.m. ET). Also available via Fubo PPV, Amazon, MyAEW, and PPV.com. $49.99 standard, $39.99 via HBO Max.
What’s at Stake
Dynasty has earned a reputation for setting AEW’s direction through the first half of the year, and the 2026 edition lives up to that billing.
Every match on this card carries real consequence: championship gold, long-simmering personal scores, and at least one career crossroads. Add a Canadian crowd ready to rally behind homegrown stars Omega and Adam Copeland, and this could be AEW’s best show of the year.
Full Match Card
Match
Stipulation
MJF (c) vs. Kenny Omega
AEW World Championship
FTR — Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler (c) vs. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
AEW World Tag Team Championship
Jon Moxley (c) vs. Will Ospreay
AEW Continental Championship
Thekla (c) vs. Jamie Hayter
AEW Women’s World Championship
Darby Allin vs. Andrade El Idolo
Singles Match (AEW World Title shot on the line for Allin)
Alex Windsor vs. Marina Shafir
Zero Hour Pre-Show
Match Previews
AEW World Championship: MJF (c) vs. Kenny Omega
The match AEW fans have been waiting for since Omega came back. Their first meeting went MJF’s way, and Omega has spent the time since putting his body back together and, reportedly, fighting something worse than any opponent. During the contract signing on the April 1 Dynamite, MJF twisted the knife by revealing that Omega’s diverticulitis has progressed to the point where doctors have told him his intestines could rupture at any time. MJF framed it as a ticking clock — Omega’s career and, in his words, his life.
Omega earned the shot by beating Swerve Strickland on Dynamite, with his EVP position on the line. He put everything on the table to get here. The crowd in Vancouver will treat him like a god — this is his home country — and MJF will spend the night playing the villain in hostile territory, the role he does better than anyone in wrestling. Whatever happens at Dynasty, this match has the bones to be the best AEW World title match since Omega’s last run with the belt.
Chris Jericho returned to AEW last week and addressed the audience in Winnipeg without explaining his next move. Whether Y2J inserts himself into Sunday’s main event — potentially as a wildcard for MJF, then or later — is the biggest question heading into the show.
AEW World Tag Team Championship: FTR (c) vs. Adam Copeland & Christian Cage
This one is personal in a way that makes the title almost secondary. FTR turned on Copeland at All Out 2025, and Harwood and Wheeler made it unforgettable by piledriving Beth Phoenix after the match. Copeland has been off TV since. His return at Revolution to stare down FTR after their title defense set up the rematch, and now Cage & Cope want gold to go along with their revenge.
FTR have been champions for over 130 days and have not faced a serious threat until now. Tag team psychology versus veteran instinct, as one outlet put it, and this will likely deliver on every level. It’s the first time Copeland and Cage have a legitimate shot at tag team gold together in roughly 25 years, and the crowd in Vancouver will make sure they know it.
AEW Continental Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Will Ospreay
Ospreay came back at Revolution pointing at one person: the man who put him on the shelf at Forbidden Door 2025. He attacked Moxley backstage at the April 1 Dynamite and demanded the Continental title go on the line. Moxley accepted. The Continental rules apply — no one at ringside, 20-minute time limit for a decisive finish. Ospreay’s neck went through a steel cage match with the Death Riders before he took time away, and he was emotional when he explained what that absence cost his family. That’s what makes this more than a revenge spot. He’s not just coming for Mox. He’s coming for everything Moxley has.
AEW Women’s World Championship: Thekla (c) vs. Jamie Hayter
Hayter held this title before Toni Storm took it from her in a match that, in hindsight, came at the wrong time — her run ended too soon, too fast. She’s been clawing her way back ever since, and Thekla has been the latest obstacle. The Women’s Champion has beaten Hayter before and has shown a knack for chaos that makes her hard to pin down. But Hayter issued the challenge with a clear message: she wants the belt, and she’s done waiting. This is a strong match for the division.
Darby Allin vs. Andrade El Idolo
Allin called out MJF directly — he wants the World title shot. MJF’s response was predictable: you don’t get a shot just because you want one. Beat a Don Callis Family member first. That member turned out to be Andrade, who was visibly irritated at being positioned as someone else’s stepping stone when he should be going after gold himself. That tension gives the match a real undercurrent. Andrade is not taking this fight lying down, and Allin needs the win to keep his trajectory alive. A loss here puts him back in the queue; a win gets him inside MJF’s orbit.
How to Watch
Date/Time: Sunday, April 12, 2026, 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT (Zero Hour pre-show at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT)
Venue: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Jon Moxley is scheduled to defend the AEW Continental Championship against Will Ospreay at AEW Dynasty on April 12. The match was officially announced following a post-match attack on Thursday’s Collision.
Moxley emerged victorious over Anthony Bowens in a Continental Championship Eliminator match on Collision. Following the match, ‘The Aerial Assassin’ attacked Moxley and hit him with the hidden blade. The Death Riders eventually intervened to prevent further damage.
Ospreay then got hold of the Continental Title and demanded that everyone be banned from ringside at Dynasty, making it clear he wants the championship on the line.
Moxley took Ospreay out for half a year, + since returning at #AEWRevolution, the Billy Goat has wanted nothing more than getting his hands on Moxley 1-on-1
Moxley previously took Ospreay out of action for six months. Since returning at AEW Revolution, Ospreay has been focused on getting a one-on-one match with the Continental Champion.
AEW Dynasty takes place on Sunday, April 12 and will air on HBO Max pay-per-view at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
The former AEW Champion put his status as the Executive Vice President of the company on the line against Swerve Strickland’s #1 contendership on this week’s episode of Dynamite. While many expected Strickland to come on top, it was The Cleaner who picked up the victory in the bout.
The former IWGP World Champion then confronted MJF later in the night, as the reigning world champion made his first appearance since Revolution. Kenny Omega confirmed that he will be getting his title shot at the next AEW PPV.
This wasn’t the only PPV match made official tonight as Will Ospreay laid out a challenge for Jon Moxley which the Death Riders leader accepted. This will be Ospreay’s first PPV match since Forbidden Door 2025, though Mox’s Continental Title has not been added to the mix.
The first match has been confirmed for AEW Dynasty.
The Revolution PPV this past Sunday saw FTR retaining their tag team titles in a highly praised bout against The Young Bucks. Adam Copeland and Christian Cage made their return to the company after the bout and took out the duo of Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler.
This week’s episode of Dynamite then saw The Bucks teaming up with Jack Perry to face the trio of Kazuchika Okada, Rocky Romero, & Trent Beretta in the main event of the show. Nick and Matt Jackson got on the mic after winning the bout.
The brothers talked about their loss on Sunday and, after an emotional promo, vowed to continue pursuing the tag titles. This is when Cope and Christian came out.
The Attitude Era tag team said that they respected The Young Bucks, and so they wanted to make the announcement face-to-face. E&C then revealed that they will be challenging FTR for the tag titles at the upcoming Dynasty PPV from Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on April 12, 2026.
FTR were the final team to make their entrance, but they quickly got taken out by both opposing teams. Both The Young Bucks and E&C then had a tug of war over the tag title belts that were left in the ring, but in the end, Matt and Nick decided to let things go. The episode concluded with Copeland and Christian standing tall as the Bucks left.
All Elite Wrestling will bring its Dynasty pay-per-view to Vancouver’s Rogers Arena on Sunday, April 12, 2026, marking the company’s first major PPV event in Western Canada.
Dynasty 2026 continues AEW’s commitment to expanding its Canadian presence. The promotion has previously held two PPVs in Canada—Forbidden Door 2023 in Toronto and All Out 2025 at Scotiabank Arena—but this will be the first time a major AEW event airs from west of Ontario.
AEW first brought live programming to Vancouver in May 2024 when the company filmed its weekly Collision show at Rogers Arena, part of a broader Canadian expansion that included stops in Quebec City, Ottawa, and London, Ontario.
Dynasty was established in 2024 and is held annually in April. The inaugural Dynasty took place at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, where Swerve Strickland defeated Samoa Joe to become AEW World Champion in a critically acclaimed main event. The 2025 edition moved to the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, with Jon Moxley successfully defending the AEW World Championship against Swerve Strickland.
Chris Jericho may be one of wrestling\’s most popular stars, but he wasn\’t surprised by the hostile response he received at the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view.
While Jericho, a heel, was supposed to receive a negative response, the chants from the crowd in St. Louis went much further than a typical reaction. Throughout the match, the crowd hurled “Please retire!” and “Go home, Jericho, go home!” chants at the veteran who has been with AEW since the very start. The St. Louis crowd also loudly booed when he defeated HOOK to capture the FTW Championship.
Many fans watching at home were taken aback by the negative response to Jericho\’s presence at the show, but Chris himself wasn\’t shocked, Fightful Select reports. According to those close to the current FTW Champion, the crowd reaction during the match was almost identical to the way he described it to them ahead of time.
Chris Jericho predicted the highly hostile reaction.
Since capturing the FTW Championship, Jericho has formed an alliance with Big Bill that has ended Bill\’s previous tag team with Ricky Starks. On the most recent AEW Collision, HOOK defeated Johnny TV in an FTW Title Contenders Series match.
Dial-up be damned, Tony Khan messaged with the legendary Lou Thesz back in the American Online days.
AEW Dynasty took place in the historic wrestling city of St. Louis, MO over the weekend and during the post-event media scrum, Khan was asked about the connections he\’s made with St. Louis and the world of pro wrestling. Khan, who has been a rampant pro wrestling fan since he was a kid, recalled a time of yesteryear that consisted of him logging onto message board and amazingly sharing correspondence with some bonafide trailblazers in the one true sport.
\”St. Louis is an amazing wrestling city with an amazing, amazing history. When I was 12 years old, I used to talk to Lou Thesz on AOL and I picked up stuff from Lou Thesz. Lou Thesz taught me how great Buddy Rodgers was and he was totally right. You go back and watch Buddy Rodgers, one of the best wrestlers of all time, one of the most influential of all time, both of them, two of the most influential of all time.\”
Khan went on to say how St. Louis has become one of their great cities to hit and later didn\’t rule out the possibility of the promotion coming back for another PPV in 2025.
Khan was all over the wrestling map as a kid even in the Extreme Championship Wrestling realm. He notoriously had his father, Shad Khan, take him to the ECW Arena in Philadelphia where he got to see first-hand the classic stretcher match between Rob Van Dam and Sabu.
AEW Dynasty packed a punch for ardent wrestling fans on Sunday night and per usual Max Caster strived to do the same with his words. However, this one was a little more dicey than others.
Max Caster, Anthony Bowens and Billy Gunn were set to go up against Jay White and The Gunns on the Dynasty Zero Hour and naturally Caster would have his pre-macth rap ready to fire off. Caster thought he had his own verbal bullets for Bullet Club Gold, but his content this time around was a little more controversial than even his usual rhymes.
\”Switchblade\’s what I switch. I\’ll fufill your fantasy and I\’ll make you my b****. Yo this dude\’s just making me sick. I\’ll violate you so bad you\’ll have to tell the legal team about the taste of my d***.\”
Some of Max Caster’s freestyles have been really clever, but this is another one that’s in such bad taste. Where’s the judgement? #AEWDynastypic.twitter.com/eQ7iJ6MTg8
The line sure got a shocked reaction from the live St. Louis crowd, but it also got it\’s own share of opinions from fans and critics online. The Wrestling Observer\’s Dave Meltzer mentioned how Caster\’s call has the potency to put him in hot water with AEW, simply saying, \”I think Max Caster may get in trouble.\”
That Time When Max Caster Called Out Dom Mysterio & Rhea Ripley
This is far from the first time Caster\’s lyrics has raised eyebrows. Earlier this year, he cross-cut a line about Dom Mysterio and Rhea Ripley when he was about to have a match with Ripley\’s real-life fiance, Buddy Matthews. Ripley ended up commenting on the matter, noting that she and Dom are over in two different promotions.
\”But I mean, good for me. It’s good for Dom. At the end of the day, it got us trending on Twitter or X, whatever you want to call it these days. It got us trending. And if that’s what you want to do in your match, get two other people in the opposite promotion that you are battling with trending? Then I feel like you did the wrong job because you put us over instead of yourself, so that was a mistake on their part.\”
Chris Jericho got \”go away heat\” as he beat Hook for the FTW Title. Also, Jack Perry finally returned to AEW. He jumped into the Young Bucks and FTR\’s ladder match and helped the Jackson brothers become the first-ever three-time AEW Tag Team Champions. Now, let\’s get into the Daily Drop!
AEW:
Bryan Danielson Injury Scare: Danielson vs. Will Ospreay is being hailed as one of the greatest matches in company history. The conclusion saw Ospreay unleash Tiger Driver 91 for the victory. Danielson landed hard and was tended to by medical personnel after the match. He remained unresponsive for a significant period, causing concern among the St. Louis fans. Thankfully, it was later confirmed that Danielson was fine and was selling the effects of the move and the entire match. At the post-show press conference, Ospreay teased retiring Tiger Driver 91 due to how dangerous it is.
\”If you throw a jab, I throw one back. And although I wasn’t mentioned by name, it was clearly about me.\” He went on to admit that shots like that won\’t be coming from him anymore, \”I don’t wanna do that anymore because I feel like I lowered myself to that standard. I don\’t need to do that anymore… that\’s the first time I\’ve ever experienced true tribalism between the two. It\’s not nice. It\’s unnecessary.\”
Will Ospreay says he's annoyed by the Triple H jab he took, but now simply wants to focus on promoting AEW.
“From this day on, I won't go down that route. I'm the Best Wrestler in the World. I don't need to F with guys below me.” pic.twitter.com/zPqHD8sQ8e
Julia Hart\’s Condition: The TBS Title match at AEW Dynasty ended with a title change as they planned, but Dave Meltzer confirmed during Wrestling Observer Radio that Julia was injured in the process. Their match only went around six minutes
Jeff Hardy\’s AEW Contract Ticking Down: Initial reports suggested that AEW had extended Jeff Hardy\’s contract into 2025. This extension was thought to compensate for time he missed due to injuries and a sabbatical following his 2022 DUI arrest. However, Jeff has informed other talent at conventions that his contract is actually set to expire in the spring of this year. Jeff Hardy joined AEW in 2022 and quickly teamed up with his brother. Matt Hardy is now a free agent, and he\’s free to speak to anyone he likes. He just returned to TNA Wrestling, but it was under a non-exclusive deal.
Swerve\’s Entrance: Strickland\’s entrance at AEW Dynasty received a ton of props from fans all over, who really dug his Black Panther tribute.
Andrade & Ricochet vs. Dominik Mysterio & J.D. McDonagh
Awesome Truth vs. DIY – World Tag Team Championship match
Gunther returns for the first time since losing the IC title at WrestleMania
Drew McIntyre Injured: Add Drew McIntyre to the long list of WWE wrestlers out with injuries, including Rhea Ripley, CM Punk, Seth Rollins to name a few. At WrestleMania, the \’Scottish Warrior\’ defeated Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight title (before dropping it just minutes later to Damian Priest.) It turns out that McIntyre was injured in the match against Rollins and badly hyperextended his elbow. He did work last week\’s WWE UK tour as advertised, but will probably take some time off to heal. On a side note, we haven\’t heard anything about him signing a new WWE contract, negotiations getting series, or anything to that effect.
The Smashing Machine: The Rock just wrapped up his road to WrestleMania 40. The Final Boss promised that he will return to the company for a match against Cody, but he has an important role coming up that needs his attention. \”The Smashing Machine\” will chronicle the life of fighter Mark Kerr, exploring his ascent in the world of MMA and his battles with personal issues. Johnson will portray Kerr in the film, and his MMA training will start very soon for that new role.
Bayley Still Sign Ripping: Remember when Bayley went viral practically every week when she ripped up a fan\’s sign as part of Damage CTRL? She hasn\’t dropped that trend. She spotted a fan holding a sign that said IYO SKY was his champion, and Bayley got to work.
Toni Storm did not hold back on non-PG wrestling references during her appearance on the post Dynasty media scrum.
The AEW Women\’s World Champion defeated Thunder Rosa to retain her title at the company\’s latest PPV event. At the press conference afterward, she decided that she didn\’t wanna answer questions from the reporters. Storm read a pre written statement for everyone instead.
The female star made references to the Cody Rhodes – Bloodline story in her speech and also explained why Nikki Garcia decided not to join the company:
\”How long do I have to do this? Week after week, night after night, before you realise that I am the one who is transcending this business? Just because I don\’t go out there and say it, doesn\’t mean it\’s not true. Do I really have to tell you every single night. Are you that thick?
Too busy chasing people blithering about goosebumps and levels and storytelling and cinema, go see a fucking movie. Nicole Garcia thought about joining AEW when she saw Mercedes did. You know why she didn\’t? Because then she saw me and realised, she can\’t hold a pussy scented candle to what I do.\”
It\’s The Greatest Thing That Could Ever Happen To You: Toni Storm
Toni Storm then claimed that she is taking AEW to new heights by just being herself and that her success is her own:
\”I am the one taking this company to new heights. And I don\’t even try to. I\’m just being me and it\’s the greatest thing I could ever be. It\’s the greatest thing that could happen to all of you too. For every one of you who saw me all those years ago and thought she has potential. You had absolutely no idea it was going to get this good, did you? Tomorrow morning your headlines should read \’Holy fuck was I wrong?\’
And Anthony, I promise you no matter how many matches I win, no matter how many stories I finish. I will never call you into the ring to celebrate with me. Being timeless means I\’m not on your watch. My success is my own and [you\’re] damn lucky to be a part of it. If any of you have a single question after that you are as stupid as you look.\”
Storm was referring to the remarks the former WWE star made while talking about Mercedes Mone\’s AEW debut. Nikki had said that she almost called Tony Khan after listening to Mone\’s debut promo.
Swerve Strickland arrived to AEW Dynasty in style with an epic entrance that paid tribute to one of the most important names associated with Ring of Honor.
At Dynasty, Strickland dethroned Samoa Joe to win the AEW World Championship in an emotional main event. The win cemented Strickland as the eighth man to win the gold and the first black wrestler to capture the richest prize in AEW.
Strickland was dressed to impress in St. Louis and wore a black and gold attire for his entrance. Fans quickly recognized the look as inspired by Kilmonger, the antagonist of 2018\’s Black Panther film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Swerve Strickland and Kilmonger.
Swerve Strickland\’s ROH Tribute
Kilmonger wasn\’t the only notable name referenced during Swerve Strickland\’s entrance at AEW Dynasty. Prince Nana was on hand to cover Strickland in a robe, which Excalibur noted belonged to Jimmy Rave.
What an entrance by the challenger Swerve Strickland
Rave was part of Ring of Honor during the company\’s early days and was part of The Embassy, a stable led by Nana. Rave\’s heel work was so strong, that instead of throwing streamers for his entrance as was customary, fans threw toilet paper as he made his way to the ring. The ultimately led to toilet paper being banned from ROH show after Rave tried to attack a fan who threw a roll at him after his match.
Rave would make returns to ROH in 2009, 2011, and 2013. In November 2020, he announced his retirement after an infection in his left arm required amputation. An MRSA infection would cost Rave both of his legs less than a year later and he would die on December 12, 2021, at the age of 39.
The wrestling world has shared their support for Swerve Strickland following his AEW World Championship victory at AEW Dynasty.
Strickland dethroned Samoa Joe in the main event of the show to become the eighth man to have won the gold. The win also made Strickland the first black man to hold the AEW World Championship.
Wrestling World Reacts to Swerve Strickland\’s Win
Strickland\’s victory has understandably had the wrestling world abuzz. On Twitter, Matt Hardy gave his congrats to Strickland and others who made an impression at AEW Dynasty.
AEW\’s Administration Co-Ordinator shared a photo with Strickland, Prince Nana, AEW COO Kosha Irby, and new AEW TBS Champion Willow Nightingale to celebrate the historic show.
— The Realest Swerve Strickland (@swerveconfident) April 22, 2024
Strickland\’s win clearly means a lot to a lot of people and for good reason. After the setback of his 2021 release from WWE, Strickland has pulled himself up to become one of the hottest acts in professional wrestling. As for how his reign goes remains to be seen but AEW is indeed Swerve\’s house after the Dynasty pay-per-view.
Tony Khan says airing the All In footage helped explain Jack Perry\’s absence from AEW TV ahead of his return to the company at tonight\’s AEW Dynasty PPV.
Perry had been suspended from AEW following his altercation with CM Punk at the All In event in August 2023. He stayed away from wrestling for over 5 months before resurfacing at NJPW\’s Battle in the Valley show this past January.
On the post-Dynasty media scrum, Khan was asked if the footage helped Jack Perry feel like a bigger star during his return at the PPV. Tony first mentioned how \’The Scapegoat\’ had a great run in NJPW before his comeback tonight which helped generate some buzz for him:
\”Well I\’m really excited about a lot of things happening in AEW. I think Jack Perry\’s return got a lot of excitement and got a huge reaction. Again, I mentioned we were in Chicago. It was a great night for the company when Jon Moxley became the IWGP World Champion. I got to watch Jack Perry\’s return to American wrestling in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
He got a massive star reaction at New Japan Pro Wrestling\’s Windy City show and I think he\’s been doing great work in New Japan Pro Wrestling. When you go over do an excursion and have a great run like he had in the New Japan Cup and a great performance like he had against Shota in Chicago. I think that had a lot to do with it.
We Made The Bold Call: Tony Khan
Speaking about the All In footage, Tony Khan admitted that it did heighten the circumstances around Jack Perry\’s return to his promotion:
\”I do think we made a bold call in the run up to this match. Really it heightened the circumstances and I do think it added to the presentation of the moment of Jack Perry\’s return tonight at AEW Dynasty. The pay per view was a home run. I think a lot of people felt like it was a great return.
Also I felt like it was important to explain partially where Jack\’s been because the last time we saw him on AEW television was at Wembley Stadium. He went through the curtain. We never saw him again since, so I did feel like some responsibility to the viewer given I knew Jack was going to return to AEW that we explain where he\’s been.\”
AEW Dynasty featured the finals of the Tag Team Title tournament between FTR and The Young Bucks. A Man in Sting mask interfered in the bout at the very end and helped The Bucks secure the victory over their opponents. The security quickly grabbed the mystery man and Jack Perry was revealed when they removed the mask.
There\’s an update regarding Bryan Danielson\’s condition following an injury scare after his all-out war against Will Ospreay at Sunday\’s at AEW Dynasty pay-per-view. Danielson lost to Will Ospreay in an \’instant classic\’ that saw Ospreay put him away with the devastating Tiger Driver 91. Danielson appeared to take the move on his neck and was tended to after the match by AEW\’s medical team.
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) April 22, 2024
Danielson appeared to be in very rough shape after the match, but the \’American Dragon\’ did not sustain any serious injuries. According to Fightful, everything \’went as planned\’ as much things can, and Danielson was just selling the effects of the match and the Tiger Driver.
Danielson was somehow fine after this bump
Will Ospreay was concerned for Danielson after the match which will likely play into the ongoing storyline between himself and the rest of the Don Callis Family. For some time, there have been tensions in the faction with Ospreay showing too much respect for his opponents to be aligned with the group. On commentary during the match, Callis insinuated that Ospreay was a liar and stupid in another sign of growing tensions.
It\’s certainly good news that Danielson wasn\’t legitimately injured in the match, especially given his history of neck issues. It was in 2014 that Bryan was stripped of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship due to a neck injury and his Intercontinental Championship reign the following year was also cut short due to neck issues. In 2016, Bryan would retire from the ring due to these setbacks and wouldn\’t wrestle again until two years later.
What\’s to Come?
It\’s unclear when we\’ll next see Bryan Danielson back in the ring but the American Dragon is currently in the midst of his final year as a full-time wrestler. This decision stems from a promise Danielson made to step away from the ring as a full-time talent in time for his daughter Birdie\’s seventh birthday. While Danielson won\’t be wrestling full-time, fans should expect to see him in the ring. He\’s stated in interviews that he doesn\’t plan to ever retire and will wrestle in front of small audiences if he has to until he physically can\’t do it anymore.
Danielson has certainly earned a more relaxed schedule in the ring but plans to stay active even as a part-time competitor. Thankfully, Danielson won\’t have to miss time due to what transpired at Dynasty, despite what the events after his match may have made fans believe.
Swerve Strickland\’s historic AEW World Championship at AEW Dynasty may never have come about had KofiMania not taken wrestling by storm in 2019.
At AEW\’s most recent pay-per-view, Strickland won the AEW World Championship from Samoa Joe and became the first black AEW World Champion in the process. On the post-show media scrum, Strickland spoke about how Kofi Kingston\’s journey to the WWE Championship inspired him to think big.
\”Friends of mine, seeing friends like Kofi [Kingston]. The last five years was probably one of the biggest inspirational things you\’ve ever seen. Not just in black history but in wrestling history period. And that\’s motivating. That\’s inspiring. And that makes me like \’I want to do that for the next generation.\’\”
Strickland added that he has big plans now that he is the champion and was pleased that it didn\’t take long for another black champion to emerge following Kofi\’s victory in MetLife Stadium.
\”I don\’t want to just do it once. I want to do it multiple times. And the fact that I was able to somewhat recreate a feeling like that in just a small amount of time, not like 20 years later, 15, 30, years later. That\’s progress in my mind. And it\’s not just me, it\’s a team. Nana\’s a part of that. My people, my family. All of them right here. None of this happens without any of these guys together.
Strickland\’s win is understandably huge for him and could mark the ushering of a new era, one that sees AEW leave the issues of the past behind. Whatever comes next, Swerve has done the work to elevate himself into the main event, and the future bodes well with him as AEW World Champion.
Will Ospreay has confirmed that he will be retiring the Tiger Driver 91 after the scary spot with Bryan Danielson in their match at tonight\’s AEW Dynasty PPV.
The high-flying star had talked about the dangers of the move at the post-Revolution media scrum last month after he used it to pin Konosuke Takeshita at the PPV event.
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) April 22, 2024
During the Dynasty Media scrum, the AEW star spoke about the incident with Bryan on the PPV and revealed that he didn\’t see the referee call for the medics:
I\’m super glad that everybody enjoyed the match. A little bit of a dampener on how it\’s all kind of [turned out] the dust has settled now. I\’ve reviewed the footage myself. It seems Bryan got hurt on the storm driver and I didn\’t see the doctor call, the referee called for the doctor and I just didn\’t see it.
So I want to apologize on that. Obviously like within the confines of wrestling I do go like I said in the ring it is more or less it\’s your life vs mine until you kind of see it staring at your face sort of the way it did.\”
Will Ospreay Says He Feels Awful
Will Ospreay said that he feels awful about the spot. He apologized to Danielson for continuing the match after that and confirmed that he will be retiring the Tiger Driver 91, also known as Storm Driver 93:
\”Honestly I feel awful about this. So even though 90% of the time that move has been absolutely fine. Seeing the damage that it has kind of done, I am gonna retire using the Storm Driver 91. I don\’t think it\’s right for me to continue using it after seeing what it did to Bryan. Someone that I\’ve got huge amounts of respect for.
This was kind of my dream match. This is something I\’ve wanted since I was a kid. So to see the outcome although I\’m happy everyone enjoyed the match, I\’m kind of disappointed in myself. So I apologize to Bryan. I apologize to AEW medics, I apologize to Tony.\”
Ospreay defeated Bryan in what many are already calling the match of the year during the latest AEW PPV. The ending of this match, however, left a lot of people concerned.
The finish of the bout saw Ospreay hitting the Tiger Driver 91 and the referee called for the medics as Danielson appeared to be hurt from the spot. Ospreay however, missed the referee\’s call and he hit the former WWE star with an elbow to the back for the pin.
The quotes in the article have been edited for clarity
AEW Dynasty was a historic event for the company. Not only did they debut a new pay-per-view in Saint Louis, but the company ended the night with a new AEW World Champion.
Swerve Strickland\’s road to the top of AEW reached its peak at AEW Dynasty. The Mogul Embassy leader proved that the Chaifetz Arena in St Louis is Swerve\’s House, as he defeated Samoa Joe for the AEW Title.
After the main event match was over, Joe swiftly headed backstage while streamers fell on Strickland, who celebrated his win with Prince Nana and ringside fans while pyrotechnics went off while the new champion celebrated.
HE DID IT! Swerve Strickland is the NEW #AEW World Champion!
At the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view event at the Chaifetz Arena in St Louis, MO, AEW World Heavyweight Champion Samoa Joe faced Swerve Strickland with the title on the line.
Strickland aggressively started the match, attempting an outside dive that Joe countered with a powerslam onto the announce table. After Strickland ripped up the protective padding, he executed an outside dive, but Joe responded with a powerslam on the exposed concrete.
As the match continued, Joe attempted to leave with his title, but Strickland stopped him. Then Swerve delivered a 450 splash and a double foot stomp for a two count.
Joe then applied a rear-naked choke, which Strickland escaped. Strickland nearly won again with a House Call and another two-count, followed by a powerbomb from the middle rope and a double foot stomp that finally clinched his victory.
Jack Perry has not been seen on AEW television since All In, where he faced Hook in a Zero Hour match for the FTW Title. Not two weeks after AEW finally aired Perry\’s fight footage with CM Punk backstage from All In, he made a shocking return during Dynasty.
Perry made his return during the Saint Louis pay-per-view to help the Young Bucks beat FTW for the AEW Tag Team Titles. The former Jungle Boy\’s presence was felt near the end of their ladder match.
During the closing moments of the match, Jack Perry attempted to interfere by pushing Dax off the ladder but was halted by security. Thanks to this distraction, Nick managed to climb the ladder, grab the championship titles, and secure a win for The Young Bucks.
At the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view in the Chaifetz Arena in St Louis, The Young Bucks competed against FTR in a ladder match for the vacant AEW Tag Team Championships. Those titles haven\’t had owners since Sting and Darby Allin relinquished them following The Icon\’s retirement.
As the match continued, Matt Jackson pushed Cash Wheeler from the top of a ladder using Dax Harwood as support. Nick then hit a 450 splash from the top rope to the floor, sending Cash through a table. Dax applied a piledriver to Matt on a ladder, and Nick followed with a springboard into a sunset flip powerbomb.
Unexpectedly, Jack Perry, disguised in a Sting mask, tried to interfere by pushing Dax off the ladder but was stopped by security. Despite this, Nick was able to climb the ladder and retrieve the championship titles, securing victory for The Young Bucks in this challenging ladder match.
The Young Bucks spoke highly of Perry, referring to him as a Scapegoat, before they aired the CM Punk fight footage. Now, Perry is back in the AEW fold, and all signs point to a continued alliance with the heel EVP team, who are now the first three-time AEW Tag Team Champions in company history.
