Dynamite
Date: September 9, 2026
Location: Akins Ford Arena, Athens, Georgia
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz

So this is a special show called Rebel Heart, with a focus on Rebel, the AEW performer who was diagnosed with ALS earlier this year. That could make for a rather special show, but we also have the recent passing of the Butcher Andy Williams, who tragically passed away last week. This could be a heavy show and we’re also less than three weeks away from All Out. Let’s get to it.

Here is Collision if you need a recap.

In memory of Andy Williams.

Commentary is a bit more subdued this week, which is rather appropriate. They run down the card as usual.

And now, we have the return of the Waiting Room, with Rebel welcoming the dancing Britt Baker. That means a rather nice moment as Baker tells “Reba” how much of an inspiration she is but now let’s bring in Persephone. She is rather pleased with saving the TBS Title and isn’t happy with Maya World. Baker brings in Hikaru Shida, who is teaming with the two of them in a six woman tag tonight. The three of them leave, with Rebel saying Baker forgot her glove. Rebel getting to be in this segment was outstanding and rather emotional.

Trios Titles: Conglomeration vs. Swerve Strickland/New Level

Strickland and the New Level, with Prince Nana, are defending. Kofi and Cassidy start things off and they trade legsweeps, though Cassidy just walks away from Kofi’s attempt in a funny bit. O’Reilly and Creed come in with Creed actually winning a strike off so Strong runs inside to clean house.

Kofi gets taken into the wrong corner and we take a break. We come back with Creed fighting out of trouble but getting struck back down by O’Reilly. A suplex doesn’t work though and it’s off to Kofi to clean house. It’s back to Strickland, who holds Strong up for an apron double stomp from Kofi to the floor. Back in and a top rope splash to the back and Creed’s top rope elbow combine for two on Strong.

Cassidy gives Strickland a Stundog Millionaire but O’Reilly gets caught in a Fameasser/wheelbarrow combination to put him down as well. Cassidy is back up with his hands in his pockets to kick away at Strickland, followed by a double DDT to New Level. Creed is sent into the barricade but Kofi is up with the big dive to the floor. Back in and the Day Break to Cassidy retains the titles at 15:03.

Rating: B. And we have a party match as the titles are successfully defended again. Strickland and New Level are working together well enough so far, though they’ve only been doing this for a few weeks yet. If nothing else, New Level can be fine as a regular tag team if that’s where they need to go. Rather energized opener here.

Post match respect is shown but the Demand, with the Swirl, comes out to say that Toa Liona’s shoulder wasn’t down for the three count. The brawl is teased but Hangman Page/Brodido run in for the save. The villains leave and Page/Brodido have a staredown with the champs but peace holds.

Darby Allin and Steven Borden are ready for their debut tonight, with Borden talking about wanting to get out of his father’s shadow. Tonight he wants to run right at what scares him the most and that is why he wants to team with Allin.

Commentary praises Andy Williams, with Excalibur breaking down. That was a rough one as 48 is an insane age to lose anyone. Apparently he’s getting a bigger tribute on Collision.

The Don Callis Family are ready for their tag matches tonight. Kazuchika comes in for a staredown with Kyle Fletcher but the mics seem to have been turned off.

Hyan/Maya World/Thunder Rosa vs. Britt Baker/Persephone/Hikaru Shida

Baker runs away from Rosa to start and it’s off to Persephone, who hammers away in the corner. World comes in for a basement dropkick and a leg lariat gives Hyan a fast two. That’s cut off with a powerslam so Shida comes in, where she is quickly dropped into the corner. Baker offers a distraction though and Shida gets in a kick to the head as we take a break.

We come back with World getting elbowed in the corner but flipping away for the tag off to Rosa. The running dropkicks in the corner hit Persephone and Shida, who almost take each other out. Hyan crossbodies both of them but Baker’s fisherman’s neckbreakers her down. Rosa comes back in to chase Baker off, only to run into Persephone’s spear on the floor. Cue Rebel in a wheelchair to give Baker her glove, meaning Lockjaw can finish Hyan at 10:24.

Rating: B-. The ending was the big important part here and that’s the best thing imaginable. Rebel got to go out there and get the spotlight one more time. The period with Baker was the highlight of Rebel’s career and she got to relive it on her special night. The rest of the match should keep the TBS Title picture going but we can worry about that later.

Baker gets a ride to the back with Rebel, dubbed the Roll Model.

We get a video on Rebel’s time in AEW, with Rebel and various people talking about the seriousness of ALS and the importance of funding for research and treatment. This includes various AEW names taking the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. If you have an issue with any of this being on the show, go outside and play in the traffic.

Video on Andrade El Idolo.

National Title: Andrade El Idolo vs. The Beast Mortos

Andrade is defending and avoids a cheap shot to start, meaning it’s an anklescissors to take Mortos down early. That means Andrade can get his picture out of the way early on but Mortos uses the distraction to get in a backbreaker. Mortos gets in a dive and Andrade is in trouble as we take a break.

We come back with Andrade nipping up and taking off his pants, with the latter drawing quite the reaction. Mortos cuts off the running knees with a pop up Samoan drop and a gutbuster for two. A pop up electric chair drop of all things is countered into a rollup to give Andrade two of his own. Back up and the Dia de los Muertos sets up the DM to retain the title at 7:19.

Rating: C+. That was rather quick with the break eating up a lot of the time. I’m thinking that electric chair deal didn’t go as planned, as they went home almost immediately. Either way, this was Andrade getting out there to keep his momentum going as he waits for the big challenger to come up. And it wasn’t even an open challenge!

Post match Andrade hits the catchphrase but the Dogs run in for the beatdown. Will Ospreay (facing David Finlay tonight) runs in for the save. Andrade and Ospreay clear the ring but here are Jon Moxley and Marina Shafir to interrupt.

Will Ospreay vs. David Finlay

Non-title. Andrade gets rid of the Dogs as Moxley sits in on commentary. Finlay hits a running elbow in the corner and sends Ospreay flying, only for Ospreay to come back with some right hands. They switch places and Finlay hammers away as well but gets sent outside. Ospreay scores with a dive and we take a break.

We come back with Ospreay fighting out of a chinlock and hitting a top rope forearm. Ospreay’s handspring kick to the head and some Kawada kicks wake Finlay up for some reason and he grabs a Rock Bottom backbreaker for two. A pop up powerbomb gives Ospreay two and Finlay rolls to the apron before the Hidden Blade can become unhidden. An Oscutter gives Ospreay two and it’s a Stundog Millionaire into a Styles Clash to pin Finlay at 10:32.

Rating: B-. You don’t see Ospreay getting to have that kind of a match and it was nice to get this kind of thing out there on occasion. Ospreay got in some of his big moves and won in the end, all with Moxley out there to scout him. I’m sure we’ll get more on this tonight, as they only have so much time before the title match.

Hangman Page and Brodido agree that they’re still a trio, even if this wasn’t what Page had in mind when he came back.

Darby Allin/Steven Borden vs. Don Callis Family

Borden and Davis start things off with Davis grabbing a running armdrag. Allin comes in and helps catch Davis between some forearms. That earns Allin a backsplash and we take a break. We come back with Davis holding Allin in a Texas Cloverleaf, with Allin breaking out rather quickly. Davis isn’t about to let the tag go through though and it’s Alexander coming in for a slam.

Allin gets in a knockdown but Davis sends Borden into the barricade to cut the tag off again. A belly to back suplex is broken up though and NOW the tag brings Borden in to clean house. Borden gets in the big jumping elbow but Davis breaks up a superplex attempt. Instead it’s a torture rack bomb to send Borden crashing again with Allin having to make the save. That means a Scorpion Death Drop/Coffin Drop combination can finish 11:51.

Rating: B-. The point here was to get Borden in the ring for his first televised match and it makes all the sense in the world to have it be with Allin. I’m not sure if he’s ready to be a full time AEW star but at some point you have to get in the ring for some time and that’s what he’s been doing for months now. Borden definitely has a long way to go and he’s still very green, but he has the athleticism to get him through a lot of his issues. Now just get some more ring time and develop, as he seems to understand.

Video on the not-TLC TLC match at All Out.

Here is Thekla to mock Mercedes Mone’s comments about making moments last week. She was playing guitar in a bar in Vienna when she saw some wrestling and knew she could do it better than anyone. Mone pops up in the crowd to suggest that the title dangling between her legs is something rather large. They both mock Willow Nightingale, who runs in to chase Thekla off. The Sisters Of Sin pop up and it’s a big staredown. The only thing I learned from this: Mone isn’t a great talker, which is hardly new information.

The Death Riders yell at Jon Moxley for trusting Will Ospreay but here is Ospreay to say he’s not surprised. He owes Moxley for training him to help win that title and that makes Moxley the #1 contender. The match will NOT be under Continental Rules and Ospreay is coming in with a plan. They’ll be ready for each other in Chicago. Pac isn’t convinced and Moxley is rather annoyed.

Young Bucks vs. Don Callis Family

Tables match and both members have to be put through a table with an offensive maneuver for the win. The Bucks run in and the fight is on fast with the Family being cleared out to the floor. Back in and a sunset flip/German suplex combination puts Fletcher down but he’s back up to pull Knight off the table. The table is set up in the corner but the Family breaks up a double northern lights suplex.

Instead they’re sent outside, where Matt’s running flip dive is pulled out of the air for a double powerbomb onto the apron. Nick gets dropkicked and Knight hits a big dive to drop both Bucks and we take a break. We come back with Matt hitting a Sliced Bread off the table in the corner, plus a DDT. Fletcher gets faceplanted and the top rope double stomp flips him into a powerbomb onto the table.

The Meltzer Driver onto the apron is broken up with a super hurricanrana as the fans want tables. The tables are already in play so do they just want the show to end? Back up and they slug it out, with the Bucks giving Fletcher the BTE Trigger. A superkick into a powerbomb off the apron puts Knight through a table but Matt gets backdropped through a table of his own. Nick uses a table for a running Canadian Destroyer to Fletcher before superkicking him onto the table. Cue FTR for a distraction, allowing Fletcher to hit a brainbuster through the table for the win at 15:13.

Rating: B. FTR interfering to cost the Bucks in the end made perfect sense as they have the title match coming up in a few weeks. Fletcher and Knight are definitely some of the bigger names in the Family so the result is hardly some ridiculous choice. I’m assuming we’ll be seeing a chairs match and a ladder match in the near future, which is quite the way to set up a title match.

Post match FTR and Knight go after the Bucks but Steven Borden and Darby Allin run in for the save. The Bucks shake Borden and Allin’s hands to end the show. I was expecting Adam Copeland and Christian Cage here so that was kind of a surprise finish.

Overall Rating: B. I know I have a reputation of complaining about AEW a lot, but I can’t bring myself to do it with this show. This week was about paying tribute to Rebel and saying goodbye to the Butcher (with more to come). That stuff was incredibly emotional and that’s more than enough to make this show special. We got enough of a build towards the two big All Out matches but that was just a bonus. AEW did a good job here and it felt like a different kind of show here, as it should have been.

Results
Swerve Strickland/New Level b. Conglomeration – Day Break to Cassidy
Britt Baker/Persephone/Hikaru Shida b. Hyan/Maya World/Thunder Rosa – Lockjaw to Hyan
Andrade El Idolo b. The Beast Mortos – DM
Will Ospreay b. David Finlay – Styles Clash
Steven Borden/Darby Allin b. Don Callis Family – Coffin Drop/Scorpion Death Drop combination to Davis
Don Callis Family b. Young Bucks – Brainbuster to Nick through a table

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Dynamite
Date: September 2, 2026
Location: Credit Union Of Texas Event Center, Allen, Texas
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone

Well we’re finally done with All In and to put it mildly, a lot of things happened. The biggest story is that Will Ospreay finally broke through and won the World Title, defeating Kenny Omega in a heck of a match. We also have a new Women’s Champion in Mercedes Mone and a new TNT Champion in Darby Allin, among others. Let’s get to it.

Here is All In if you need a recap.

Quick card rundown.

All In recap.

Here is new World Champion Will Ospreay for a chat and yeah the fans like him. Ospreay apologizes for looking a bit rough but gets cut off with the YOU DESERVE IT chants. He’s cried a lot this week and doesn’t want to do it anymore, but does seem touched by what he’s hearing. Sunday was amazing and if you were there from the beginning thank you, or if you’ve just gotten on, thank you as well.

As for Kenny Omega, Ospreay admits that Omega is better than him 364 days of the year, but Ospreay only had to be better one day. They’re 2-2 and Ospreay is happy with that because all he wanted to be was seen as Omega’s equal. Ospreay: “But…..”. And the fans like that one. If Omega isn’t cool with the two of them being equal, name the time and the place.

As for now though, Ospreay likes how the belt looks on himself because the previous champions are his heroes. Now his idols are his rivals (good line) and he is the new standard so if you want to take it from him, be prepared to walk through the same fire. He also thanks the United Empire, who were the only people he wanted in his corner at All In. There is a United Empire in Japan but now there is going to be a version in AEW. Ospreay goes to leave but here is the Demand to interrupt.

Ricochet isn’t here to rain on Ospreay’s parade, as the two of them are forever intertwined in this crazy sport. They have known each other for a long time and Ospreay wouldn’t be here without Ricochet. As a result, Ricochet should get the first title shot but here are the Dogs to interrupt. Gabe Kidd is ready to take everything from Ospreay but Ricochet cuts that off, saying it’s his shot. Everyone comes to the ring but here is the United Empire to make things a lot more even. Ospreay is ready for the big tag team main event.

We look at the New Level (Day) debuting at All In and teaming with Swerve Strickland to win the Trios Titles.

Trios Titles: New Level/Swerve Strickland vs. The Rascalz

The Rascalz are challenging. Strickland and Reed start things off with Strickland snapping off an early anklescissors. Reed is sent into the corner and it’s quickly off to Xavier to face Creed. They quickly go to the mat for an exchange of near falls until Creed hits a backsplash. Kofi comes in and the fans certainly approve, including as he moonsaults off of Creed’s shoulders for two.

It’s back to Strickland, is triple teamed out to the floor, where Creed and Strickland hit moonsaults off the apron. Kofi’s dive off the top takes the Rascalz down and we take a break. We come back with Creed chopping Wentz down so Kofi and Reed can come back in. Kofi hits his bottom rope DDT and Strickland is back in with the rolling suplex. Wentz makes the save but dives into a Downward Spiral,, only to get hurricanranaed to give Xavier two.

Everything breaks down and we get a series of knockdowns, with Kofi giving Xavier the SOS (a legsweep to flip Xavier back first onto the floor) outside. That leaves Reed to hit his diving cutter on Creed off the apron, but he manages to hurricanrana Kofi at the same time. Well that was awesome. Back in and Kofi gives Reed Trouble In Paradise (spinning kick to the head) but gets kicked in the head by Xavier. Back up and Xavier tries a handspring but gets House Called out of the air. A top rope double stomp/powerslam combination plants Xavier and another House Call retains the titles at 12:58.

Rating: B+. This was a wild match and that’s exactly what it should have been, as New Level gets to show the fans what they can do on Dynamite for the first time. It was nothing but action throughout and Swerve more than held up his side. You know the Rascalz are going to be right there for all of the high flying stuff and it all worked well.

Post match the Young Bucks come out for the staredown with the New Level, with Swerve looking interested too.

We look at Mercedes Mone winning the Women’s Title at All In.

Here are the Young Bucks for a chat. They’re not going to complain about their loss but they don’t like how they lost to Adam Copeland and Christian Cage. So why not get out here right now and tell them why it had to go that way? Instead they get FTR, with Stokely Hathaway saying FTR are the only two people in the ring who matter. How are the Bucks thinking they deserve yet another title match?

They both bring up their success against the other but here are Copeland and Cage to interrupt. Cage points out that they’re the old guys and beat both teams in the ring. He’s surprised the Bucks and FTR didn’t take a 50% pay cut and go somewhere else. Copeland says it’s time to be the voice of reason so let’s do the three way rematch at All Out, involving tables, ladders and chairs. Oh joy could we really do that? With FTR and the Bucks? It’s all my dreams come true.

The United Empire has a fifth member of the team for tonight: Andrade El Idolo. Will Ospreay isn’t so sure but he goes with it.

TNT Title: Darby Allin vs. Mark Davis

Davis is challenging and cuts off the skateboarding Allin on the way to the ring in a smart move. Davis throws him into the timekeeper’s area and we take a break before the bell rings. We come back with Allin climbing a balcony and diving off with the Coffin Drop onto Davis. A running crossbody sends both of them back to ringside, where Davis gets in a heck of a forearm.

We actually get the opening bell as they get inside, with Allin being launched into the corner. A huge running clothesline gives Davis two and we take another break. We come back again with Allin using the tag rope to tie Davis into the corner. That’s broken up and Davis hits a running forearm for two as the fans are still behind Allin.

Davis misses an enziguri but almost flip Allin onto his face off a backdrop. Back up and Allin reverses a gutwrench into a Code Red for two and they’re both down. They head outside with Allin hitting a missile dropkick as Schiavone thinks this is for the National Title. Davis barely beats the count back in and is quickly Coffin Dropped to retain the title (whichever one Tony thinks it is this week) at 9:23.

Rating: B. Now this is more what I like from Allin. It’s so annoying seeing him have to go so nuts because he absolutely does not need to go there. He can wrestle a high flying style and get the fans behind him every time. That was the case again here, with Davis being a great midcard monster to be slain. Good stuff here.

Post match RPG Vice runs in to jump Allin, with Steven Borden making the save. Josh Alexander returns to jump Borden though and the good guys are beaten down.

We look at Andrade El Idolo winning the Casino Gauntlet Match.

MJF is ticked off at losing the Casino Gauntlet Match because he’s the real World Champion. If anyone got cheated the way he did, it would be the talk of the wrestling world. Of course he was cheated though because no one is on his level. It makes people mad that he is the biggest star in the world, including Will Ospreay. Payback is coming and you won’t see it coming. This was unhinged from MJF.

Megan Bayne vs. Alex Windsor

Lena Kross and Jamie Hayter are here too. Bayne runs her over a few times to start and fires off the shoulders in the corner. Windsor is back up with some corner clotheslines but is quickly sent flying with a fall away slam. Bayne gets low bridged to the floor though and the running flip dive off the apron connects. We come back with Windsor hitting a running dropkick into a hanging DDT for two.

A nice middle rope clothesline gets two more but Bayne German suplexes her out of the corner. The running clothesline gives Bayne two, as does a Falcon Arrow. Windsor grabs a not so smooth Blue Thunder Bomb and it’s time to slug it out on the apron. Bayne is tripped face first down and they clothesline each other down on the floor. Kross and Hayter get in a brawl of their own and Bayne belts Windsor in the head. Back in and a Liger Bomb finishes Windsor at 10:47.

Rating: B-. This seems to be a way to set up a rematch between the two teams at All Out, likely in a street fight. I’m not sure I’d have the new champions lose so soon but we only have a few weeks before the likely rematch. Bayne winning a singles match certainly makes sense as she’s a monster, though seeing a champion lose never quite feels right.

Post match the beatdown is on until Hayter makes the save.

We look at Chris Jericho not quite winning the Casino Gauntlet Match.

Jericho is interrupted by Nick Wayne, who brags about having ten years of experience. Jericho points out that he had fifteen years experience the day Wayne was born, earning a slap to the face. The brawl is on, with Wayne kicking him low and leaving.

Here is new Women’s Champion Mercedes Mone for her big championship celebration. She hasn’t stopped smiling since All In but she needed to win to be here. Mone bet on herself and this is what happened when you give yourself permission to be great. We pause for a CEO chant before Mone says she had to leave Willow Nightingale behind because Nightingale is a stupid b****.

Look what she did to Mone’s face, and we see quite the black eye. What she wants for this title doesn’t even exist yet but here is Thekla (yes she has a drink) to interrupt. Mone is a legendary icon but she’s never been TOXIC. Nightingale deserved to be humiliated but Mone has been calling people “dumb b****”. If there’s one thing Thekla hates, it’s a dumb b**** calling another dumb b**** a dumb b****. Thekla “You dumb b****.” Thekla is ready to fight whenever, which allows Schiavone to tell us how great Mone is (again).

New TBS Champion Persephone and the returning Britt Baker are ready to take the title to a place it has never been before.

Jon Moxley vs. AR Fox

Non-title. They fight over a standing switch to start and Fox takes him down for a quick two off a crucifix. Moxley is sent outside for the step up moonsault and they’re right back inside. Fox gets taken down with a running dropkick and we take a break. We come back with Fox nailing a rolling cutter but Moxley gets fired up as Fox gives him clotheslines. A basement cutter puts Moxley down again but he gets his knees up to block a Swanton. Fox is right back with a swinging suplex into a 450 for two, only for Moxley to pull him into a sleeper. That and the Death Rider finish Fox off at 8:22.

Rating: C+. It had some moments, as Fox’s matches tend to do, but ultimately this was another case of Moxley getting to beat someone else. He did it throughout the tournament and he did it again here. In theory it should be followed by another challenger for the title and that could be anyone. Moxley could use someone new to destroy.

Kevin Knight and Kyle Fletcher argue after losing their individual titles but Don Callis has them team up on Collision. Kazuchika Okada comes in to remind Fletcher about family.

Andrade El Idolo/United Empire/Will Ospreay vs. The Dogs/The Demand

Ricochet rolls away from Ospreay to start and it’s off to Liona vs. Henare. They trade the forearms with Henare absorbing the shots and taking over. Liona runs him right back over and everything breaks down with Connors getting crushed off an elevated backsplash. Idolo hits a big dive to the floor and we get a group picture with the ringside woman. Ricochet powerbombs Akira onto the pile though and we take a break.

We come back with Akira grabbing a slingshot cutter to Connors, allowing the tag off to Newman. A running boot drops Kaun and Henare adds a spinning Samoan drop. Kidd clotheslines Andrade down and a corner dropkick into a cutter gets two. Akira tries to chop at the Gates, who growl at him, earning themselves more chops.

The Gates easily pick him up but he fires off a suicide dive. Ospreay and Ricochet chop it out until Ricochet scores with the handspring elbow. Everything breaks down again for an exchange of strikes and Akira moonsaults onto the Gates on the floor. Connors runs into Dia de los Muertos and the Hidden Blade finishes him off at 13:53.

Rating: B. It was another wild match, though I’m still trying to get myself to care about the United Empire. Their entire deal is “we’re Ospreay’s friends from Japan” which isn’t the greatest appeal. You also have the Dogs, who could be dropped from the roster without missing much. It’s kind of a weird choice for a main event, though at least Ospreay stood tall in the end.

Post match the villains jump the winners with Gabe grabbing a chair to go after Ospreay. Cue the Death Riders but Jon Moxley takes the chair away. Andrade is back in to brawl off with Kidd and Moxley hands Ospreay the title. They stare at each other….and a graphic comes up announcing the two of them are facing each other for the title at All Out. Moxley looks stunned and leaves in peace to end the show. So you have what feels like one of the biggest matches AEW could run after months of build and it’s just announced with a quick graphic? That’s certainly a way to go.

Overall Rating: B+. This show was entirely about taking the momentum that they had from All In and transitioning that to All Out. With so little time before the pay per view, they had to rush through things, which explains the rushed World Title setup. The action was very good and you can probably figure out a lot of the All Out card from here. They were flying through things here but managed to land the thing, which is quite the feat after their biggest show of the year. Good, and necessary show here.

Results
Swerve Strickland/New Level b. The Rascalz – House Call to Xavier
Darby Allin b. Mark Davis – Coffin Drop
Megan Bayne b. Alex Windsor – Liger Bomb
Jon Moxley b. AR Fox – Death Rider
Andrade El Idolo/United Empire/Will Ospreay b. The Demand/The Dogs – Hidden Blade to Connors

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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