AEW Dynasty 2026 felt like one of those nights where everything just came together. Not in a perfect, every match is an all timer kind of way, but in that very AEW way where the energy is high, the crowd is locked in, and the big moments actually feel big. From the opening match to the main event, there was a sense that this show mattered, like it was pushing things forward instead of just filling time. It had variety, it had stakes, and when it hit its highs, it really reminded you why All Elite Wrestling at its best is still one of the most exciting pro wrestling companies to watch.
Alex Windsor defeated Marina Shafir (Zero Hour)
This was just two people swinging at each other from the jump. Marina Shafir brings that shoot-style aggression and Alex Windsor matched it pretty well. It was rough around the edges, not super polished, but it felt real. Good pre-show tone setter without trying to do too much.
Divine Dominion (c) defeated Hyan & Maya World (Women’s Tag Titles – Zero Hour)
This was solid but nothing you’ll remember a week from now. Divine Dominion played their roles well as champs, controlling most of it, while the challengers had some decent bursts of energy. It never quite hit that next level, but it wasn’t bad either. Just there.
Jack Perry (c) defeated Mark Davis (AEW National Championship – Zero Hour)
This was one of those matches that just got it. Jack Perry played the smaller, quicker champion perfectly, constantly having to think one step ahead, while Mark Davis felt like a walking problem that could end the match at any moment. Davis in particular stood out here. There’s a bit of that old school presence to him, like a Stan Hansen or a JBL, but with a modern edge in how he moves and sequences. Every shot he threw looked like it hurt, every moment he was in control felt dangerous.
What made this really work though was the simplicity of the story. It was a clean David vs Goliath dynamic and both guys committed to it fully. Perry never tried to outpower Davis, he survived him, picked his moments, and chipped away where he could. Davis never overcomplicated things either, he just kept coming forward, imposing himself, making you believe that one clean shot could end it. It is the kind of straightforward storytelling that can get lost in AEW sometimes, and this nailed it. Really effective match that probably deserves more credit than it will get.
The Young Bucks defeated Kazuchika Okada & Konosuke Takeshita
This was chaotic in a very AEW way. The Young Bucks doing their usual high-speed insanity, while Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita brought a bit more structure. At times it felt like two matches happening at once, but when it clicked, it really clicked. The Bucks dragged things into their world, constant motion, constant noise, while Okada and Takeshita tried to impose something a bit more controlled.
But the real takeaway from this was the angle at the end. Everything shifted in the final moments of the match when the tension between Okada and Takeshita finally boiled over. It wasn’t just a tease either, it felt like a clear line being drawn. The kind of moment where you instantly start thinking about where it’s heading next.
And honestly, it feels pretty obvious. This has all the makings of a collision course between Okada and Takeshita somewhere big, somewhere that actually matters. You’re looking at something that could easily land at AEW All In if they want to go all the way with it. If that’s the direction, then this match ends up being remembered less for what happened during it, and more for what it set in motion.
Ricochet defeated Chris Jericho
This was way more storyline-heavy than expected. Chris Jericho came back after a year out and immediately found himself in a match that never really settled into a rhythm. It felt scrappy and a bit disjointed at times, but that actually suited what they were going for. Jericho losing in his return is interesting. Feels like it’s leading somewhere.
Darby Allin defeated Andrade El Idolo
This was exactly what you’d expect. Darby Allin throwing his body around like it means nothing, and Andrade El Idolo trying to ground him. It had that reckless Darby energy but Andrade gave it structure. Not the match of the night, but it had its moments and never dragged.
What makes this even more interesting is what comes next. Darby has now positioned himself as the number one contender and is set to challenge for the world title on Dynamite. It feels like the kind of opportunity AEW has been slowly building toward with him, that underdog who never really stops coming forward finally getting a straight shot at the top.
And honestly, it raises the question of whether this could be the moment. Darby is the type who thrives when people count him out, and if the stars align, there is always that chance he shocks the world. It would not be the safe outcome, but it would be the kind of chaotic, emotional payoff AEW sometimes leans into when it wants to shake things up.
Thekla (c) defeated Jamie Hayter (AEW Women’s World Championship)
Jamie Hayter came in like a wrecking ball and for a while it felt like her night. But Thekla has this weird, unsettling presence that just works. The match had a strong physical edge to it and actually felt important. Hayter losing hurts in a good way, like it means something. Thekla continues to feel like a real champion.
‘The Jet’ Kevin Knight wins the Casino Gauntlet Match (Vacant TNT Championship)
This was pure chaos, no other way to put it. Tommaso Ciampa and RUSH set the tone early, and then it just kept escalating with every entrant. These matches are always messy, but that’s kind of the appeal. You don’t watch it for structure, you watch it for moments, and it definitely had those.
The biggest takeaway though was the emergence of Kevin Knight, “The Jet,” taking the win. It felt like one of those breakout performances where everything just clicks at the right time. He didn’t just survive the chaos, he thrived in it, which is exactly what you need to stand out in a match like this.
Now the question becomes what AEW does with him next. If they’re serious about the momentum, this could be the start of a real TNT title run that puts him on the map in a different way. The Jet nickname fits because it feels like he’s about to get launched into a much bigger spotlight, and this win might just be the takeoff point.
Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong & Kyle O’Reilly defeated The Dogs (c) (Trios Titles)
The Dogs don’t get enough credit, they play their roles really well. The Conglomeration guys gave this a weird mix of comedy and serious wrestling. It shouldn’t fully work, but somehow it does. A fun match that didn’t overstay its welcome. The sitcom entrance for Conglomeration was memorable.
FTR (c) defeated Adam Copeland & Christian Cage (Tag Team Titles)
This felt like a proper old school tag title match. FTR slowing things down, targeting injuries, making everything matter. Adam Copeland and Christian Cage played into that perfectly. The crowd was fully behind them, but FTR just outworked them in the end. Not flashy, just really well done tag wrestling.
Jon Moxley (c) defeated Will Ospreay (Continental Championship)
This was brutal. Jon Moxley went straight after Will Ospreay’s neck and never let up. Ospreay had his moments, especially early, but the story was him making the wrong decisions and paying for it. By the end it felt less like a match and more like survival. Mox winning made sense, but it leaves Ospreay in a really interesting spot.
MJF (c) defeated Kenny Omega (AEW World Championship)
This felt massive from the opening bell. Kenny Omega wrestled like someone who knew exactly what was at stake, sharp, focused, and clearly trying to prove he still belongs at the very top. Every sequence he was involved in had this sense of urgency behind it, like he was pushing the pace before the moment could slip away.
MJF, on the other hand, played it exactly how he always does at this level. He never looked outmatched in the traditional sense because he never lets the match become just about wrestling. He slows it down when he needs to, bends the rules when it suits him, and constantly drags the champion into uncomfortable territory where momentum does not matter as much as timing and survival.
What made this work so well was how it constantly shifted between styles. Omega’s precision and explosive offense would start to take over, then MJF would immediately find a way to stall it, break rhythm, or turn the match into something messy and unpredictable. It stopped and started in a way that kept the crowd fully locked in because neither man ever truly stayed in control for long.
There was also a clear “devil vs god” dynamic running through the entire match. Omega came across like this almost mythical standard of wrestling excellence, someone trying to win it the “right way” through execution and will. MJF felt like the opposite, constantly undermining that purity with shortcuts, arrogance, and opportunism. It gave the match a real ideological clash underneath all the near falls, like it was more than just a title fight.
The closing stretch pushed that even further. Omega started throwing everything he had left, including the One Winged Angel, and what followed was one of the most controversial and chaotic sequences of the night. After the One Winged Angel, there was a ref bump that completely broke the flow of the match. With the official down, the pinfall essentially went uncounted in real time, leading to a legitimate 20 count before a replacement referee could even make it to the ring. By the time the second ref finally got there, MJF had already managed to survive the situation and ultimately capitalised, meaning he became the first man to kick out of the One Winged Angel in AEW, albeit under heavily extenuating circumstances. It still landed as a huge moment, but one that came with just as much chaos as credibility.
By the end, it had fully escalated into a big match atmosphere, with near falls that actually felt like they could end it. The finish leaned into that classic MJF style of chaos and opportunism, which fits him perfectly at this stage of his reign. It might not have been a clean “classic” in the traditional sense, but it absolutely felt like a main event that mattered, with both men coming out of it looking like they had been through something seismic.
Final Thoughts
This felt like a loaded show that actually delivered more often than not. It had the usual AEW chaos, but also enough structure to stop it from feeling all over the place. The top matches carried the night hard, especially Mox vs Ospreay and the main event. Not perfect, but definitely one of AEW’s stronger PPVs in a recent times. It was unsual for AEW to have so many wrestler’s lose in their home country, normally the inverse happens in AEW. I’m curious to see what this means for all involved and how things unfold on the road to All In. Can Darby Allin be the hero we so desperately need right now? We will have to wait until Wednesday’s Dynamite.
