Results
- Samoa Joe def. Speedball Bailey (15:19) (Recommended)
- Wheeler Yuta, Daniel Garcia & Jon Moxley def. Hechicero, Rocky Romero & Lance Archer (Street Fight) (15:33)
- Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood def. Alec Price & Jordan Oliver (5:15)
- Kenny Omega def. Josh Alexander (11:50)
- Megan Bayne & Penelope Ford def. Toni Storm & Mina Shirakawa (10:50)
- Swerve Strickland def. Kevin Knight (17:14) (Recommended)
MJF thinks Brody King hasn’t deserved a title shot
This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, from the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida, opened with an in-ring interview with AEW World Champion MJF conducted by Tony Schiavone. Worth noting before we get into things: Taz was back on Dynamite commentary for the first time since October!
This was planned to be an interview, but it more or less became Schiavone holding the mic for MJF while he cut a promo. MJF bragged about his accomplishments and said that the AEW title proves he’s the best in the world. MJF said that Bandido was “The first of many in a long line of losers to find out the hard way that 2026 is the year of the devil and ain’t nobody on my level.”
This promo was interrupted by Bandido tag partner Brody King, who has been on a tear recently with tune-up victories. King got a good reaction here – this Orlando crowd seems hot to start! He towered over the champ as he stared him down. On the mic, King said that watching MJF’s match last week against Bandido made him think about all of the ways he wants to hurt him.
King thought that finding a way to an MJF title match isn’t through big wins, it’s through calling the champ a “bitch,” which is exactly what he did. MJF thought about the matchup, but eventually said no. “Who have you beaten? Tomato cans, jabronis, jobbers. If you want to face the world champion … You have to beat elite talent.”
MJF scurried out of the ring after denying the matchup, clearly scared of King. Both of these guys were solid on the mic here, but this segment did leave something to be desired. Synopsis: King wants a shot, MJF thinks he’s not ready. Not the segment I’d lead with tonight.
Backstage, Hangman Page said that he’s facing Katsuyori Shibata in singles action on Collision (which will be taped tonight in Orlando, as this weekend’s show in Texas has been cancelled due to weather).
The Opps help Samoa Joe defeat Speedball
The in-ring action tonight got started with a singles bout between AEW World Trios Champion Speedball Mike Bailey and The Opps ring-leader Samoa Joe.
Bailey tried to chop Joe down with a series of kicks to the legs and chest. He sent Joe out of the ring with a kick then tried to follow up with a baseball slide to the outside, but Joe caught them and instead dropped Bailey with a thudding chop to the chest.
Bailey dropped Joe with a running knee strike, scored the baseball slide through the ropes upon second attempt, then went flying with a springboard moonsault to the outside.
Just as Bailey started to gain some momentum, Hook and Katsuyori Shibata appeared at ringside. This distracted Bailey, allowing Joe to give him a nasty kick to the chest, sending him tumbling through the ropes and to the outside. Hook and Shibata beat down on Bailey at ringside while Joe distracted the referee. Joe had full control of the match as the show went to a break.
Bailey started to make a comeback as the show returned, coming off the top with a dropkick. They landed a series of crafty kicks to the body then tried a standing Shooting Star Press, but Joe rolled out of the way. Bailey dodged a senton from Joe, then came off the top rope with a Shooting Star Press for a near fall.
The fight went to the ring apron, where Bailey tried for his moonsault knee drop, but Joe avoided it (I feel like I’ve seen that move get dodged on the apron more times than I’ve seen it connect). A distracted ref allowed for Shibata to get back into the mix again, giving Bailey a suplex on the apron, then another on the floor as well.
Joe scored a really innovative move, almost scoring a piledriver but for Bailey’s knees. Continuing to target the legs, Joe looked for a kneebar. Bailey escaped by reaching the ropes. Joe was relishing in Bailey’s pain, saying “This what you wanted?” to him.
Joe used an Imanari Roll into an ankle lock, but Bailey reached the ropes again. Joe kept knocking down Bailey with leg kicks until Speedball powered up and started to mount a late comeback. They connected with a standing moonsault double knees then a roundhouse head kick for a two-count.
Bailey hit another roundhouse kick in the corner and started to try for his Ultimo Weapon finisher, but Joe avoided it. Joe and Shibata tried to interfere with Bailey at this point, but didn’t really do anything. Joe locked in a Coquina Clutch, but Bailey escaped by transitioning it into a roll-up pin attempt.
Bailey dropped Joe with a nasty head kick then returned to the top for a move, but Shibata got onto the ring apron to stop him. Joe peeled Bailey off the top rope for a Muscle Buster to win the match in 15 minutes. The number of times The Opps got involved felt a little egregious, I mean, how many times can a ref be fooled in just a few minutes?
But besides that, this was a great showing from both Bailey and Joe. I think Bailey and Kevin Knight of JetSpeed are both making a name for themselves with solid showings in the tag division, but I hope they both can eventually break out and have significant singles runs in AEW someday, too, and performances like this explain why.
Death Riders take Street Fight win over Don Callis Family
Top AEW factions duked it out in the next segment, as Jon Moxley, Daniel Garcia and Wheeler Yuta of the Death Riders battled with Hechicero, Lance Archer, and Rocky Romero of the Don Callis Family.
These two teams wasted no time getting things started, brawling on the ramp as Hechicero’s theme played out. Moxley and Archer fought into the crowd as Moxley applied an ankle lock to Hechicero on stage. Hecicero tapped, but this is a Street Fight, not Falls Count Anywhere. Archer gave Yuta a gigantic chokeslam through the timekeeper’s table just before the show went to a break.
The DCF trio were picking on Moxley in the ring as the show returned. Hechicero and Romero delivered stereo dropkicks to the head of Garcia as a garbage can was wrapped around him.
Archer set up a table in a corner of the ring, intending to put Moxley through it. One problem: Marina Shafir entered the ring and got in between them. Archer picked up Shafir, as he doesn’t discriminate. However, Shafir reversed an attempted chokeslam into an armbar, then transitioned into an ankle lock. This submission sequence allowed Moxley to come to his senses and eventually hit Archer with a cutter.
This didn’t change his fate, however, as Archer eventually countered a move and picked him up for a slam through the table. Garcia and Yuta teamed up to wipe Archer out of the ring with a running knee strike. Hechicero and Romero got back into the ring to apply both Garcia and Yuta with submissions, although they both worked their way out and reversed with their own submissions.
Garcia and Yuta got taken out of the ring by the DCF. However, Moxley worked his way back up to his feet and hit both Hechicero and Romero with DDTs. Moxley upped the ante violence-wise, bringing in a piece of wood which had shattered glass, thumbtacks and barbed wire attached to it. After a back-and-forth sequence between Romero and Moxley, Archer hit the ring and gave Moxley a massive chokeslam onto the collage of skin-puncturing plunder.
Archer went to ringside and was about to give Yuta a chokeslam off the stage but was stopped by PAC, who struck the tall Archer over the back with his crutch. Claudio Castagnoli appeared at ringside to attack Archer, striking him head-first onto a box of pyro on-stage.
Hechicero was taken out by the Death Riders, including a low blow from Shafir. In the ring, Garcia gave Romero a piledriver then locked in a Dragontamer. Moxley scored a Curbstomp, putting Romero out as Garcia kept the Dragontamer locked in, causing a submission victory in 15 minutes.
Moxley got in Don Callis’ face at ringside after his win, then said: “Just tell your boy he knows where to find me.” With a dozen or so thumbtacks still in his back, Moxley hopped the guardrail and walked back to the Death Riders den somewhere inside the venue.
This was some fun mayhem. The rapid-fire finishing sequence, with something new happening every other moment, was awesome. The Death Riders have been babyfaced so convincingly, which is quite the accomplishment considering how deep into heel-dom they were just over a month ago.
FTR beat AEW newcomers Oliver & Price
Backstage, Thekla (alongside the Triangle of Madness) said she wants to give Kris Statlander one more week before cashing in her title shot for the AEW World Championship at next week’s Dynamite. Julia Hart said she didn’t get a rematch from when Willow Nightingale dethroned her nearly two years ago, and wants to cash in that rematch on Saturday’s Collision. I guess rematch clauses don’t have an expiration date.
Statlander accepted the title shot from Thekla, and also said anyone who wants a title eliminator shot this weekend is more than welcome. Nightingale also accepted a matchup against Hart for this Saturday.
Jordan Oliver and Alec Price, a pair of indie vets who got signed to AEW just last weekend, made their promotional debut against FTR in the next segment.
Big Stoke, who appeared at ringside in a gold-plated wheelchair, plugged a website called “HelpBigStoke.com,” where you can help him with his injuries (commentary urged fans to NOT give money to Hathaway, who is committing fraud).
Price and Oliver made it clear early on to new viewers that high-flying moves are their bread and butter, hitting the skies numerous times in just a couple of minutes. FTR tried for Power and the Glory, but Price and Oliver were able to counter it into a combination of their own moves.
Oliver was sent out of the ring, giving FTR the chance to hit Price with the Shatter Machine for the victory in five minutes. A quick glimpse of AEW’s newest arrivals in a relatively quick match. A tune-up for FTR before they face Davis & Doyle on next week’s Dynamite.
Kenny Omega wins in return to action
Kenny Omega’s in-ring return was next, facing off against fellow Canadian Josh Alexander. Don Callis’ Alexander jumped Omega during his entrance, attempting to get a head start against the former AEW champ.
Omega took control of the match at ringside, scoring a moonsault off the ring apron then a springboard crossbody before the match officially went underway in the ring. Alexander prevented a dive from Omega then hit a crossbody onto the ring apron before the show went to a commercial break.
Alexander came off the middle rope with a huge slam after the show returned. The fight went to ringside, where Alexander had previously peeled off a piece of the ringside mat to expose the concrete floor. A move from Alexander was reversed by Omega into an (understandably) incredibly safe Snap Dragon Suplex to the floor. Omega followed with a huge dive over the top and to the outside, which unfortunately caused him to have a hard landing on the concrete floor.
Back in the ring, Omega dropped Alexander with a dropkick to the back of the neck. He followed up with a neckbreaker for a near fall. Alexander escaped a V-Trigger but scored a head kick. They both dumped to the outside after a suplex from Alexander took them over the ropes.
After a striking exchange at ringside (which caused Don Callis to flee the scene momentarily), Alexander caught Omega with a dragonscrew, then followed with his running crossbody at the ring apron.
Alexander briefly went to Callis at ringside for a hug; this pause was costly. Once he hit the ring Omega delivered a V-Trigger, powerbomb, then another V-Trigger. Alexander kicked out, but was put away just moments later after Omega landed his One Winged Angel finisher. In his first singles appearances since All In: Texas, Omega has picked up a win and started his campaign towards the promotion’s top title. Good match between these two.
Omega got on the mic afterward and said he “hasn’t felt this good in years.” He bragged that nobody in the Don Callis Family can beat him in his current state – and they can take him up on that challenge either now or after he reclaims the AEW World Championship.
With help from Marina Shafir, Bayne & Ford beat Timeless Love Bombs
The co-main event of the night saw Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa of the Timeless Love Bombs face off against Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford. This was Ford’s second appearance since recently returning from injury.
Shirakawa had a scary bump early on in the match, as Bayne threw her out of the ring and to the outside – she was meant to land on Storm but went completely over her head, causing her to land flat on the floor. Bayne followed this up by throwing Ford to ringside, who thankfully was caught by Storm and Shirakawa.
Shirakawa was isolated by the heel duo for a significant portion of the bout, but the former STARDOM talent broke out of it after dropping Bayne with a top-rope dropkick. Storm tagged in against Ford, who was hit with a series of moves before taking a hip attack in the corner.
Shirakawa tagged back in and planned for a double-team move with Storm, but Bayne interrupted them. Ford and Bayne were put on the ring apron, where the Lovebombs scored stereo hip attacks. Shirakawa came off the top for a huge springboard crossbody to the outside.
Back in the ring, Shirakawa hit a top-rope Slingblade. Bayne broke up a pin attempt. She threw Storm out of the ring, gave Shirakawa a head kick, then helped Ford hit a cutter for a near fall.
Storm got back in to break up a pin. Ford wiped out Storm with a stunner, but Shirakawa dropped her moments later with a backfist. Shirakawa started setting up for a Figure Four, although the attempt was stopped by Bayne. Ford and Bayne scored a Doomsday Device, and while Storm was about to hit the ring and stop the attempt, she was prevented by Marina Shafir, who held her back at ringside! Shafir put out Storm with her Mother’s Milk submission as Ford and Bayne celebrated in the ring.
Decent little match, although it has to be said that it’s unfortunate that the entire women’s division was sequestered this week to a 10-minute match at the dreaded 9:30 p.m. spot.
Excalibur did an impressively fast rundown of AEW’s announced matches over the next week. Here’s what was shown:
AEW Collision – 1/24/26
- Jake Doyle and Mark Davis in action
- Hangman Page vs. Katsuyori Shibata
- Kris Statlander vs. Isla Dawn
- Andrade El Idolo vs. Magnus
- Austin Gunn & Billy Gunn vs. Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher
- Claudio Castagnoli vs. Roderick Strong (CMLL World Heavyweight Championship)
- Willow Nightingale vs. Julia Hart (TBS Championship)
AEW Dynamite – 1/28/26
- Kris Statlander vs. Thekla (AEW Women’s World Championship)
- Mark Briscoe vs. El Clon (TNT Championship)
- Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood vs. Jake Doyle & Mark Davis (AEW World Tag Team Championships)
Kevin Knight nears upset win, but ultimately loses to Swerve Strickland
In the main event of the night, former world champ Swerve Strickland faced off against six-man tag champ Kevin Knight. During Strickland’s entrance it was revealed that MJF was watching from a press box inside the venue, sipping champagne.
Knight, the clear underdog in this match, got ahead early with a pair of crossbodies, including one to the outside. Strickland knocked Knight off the top and to the outside with a nasty chop to the chest. However, Knight answered back with a backbody drop off the steel stairs then a leaping dropkick off the ring apron before the show’s final commercial break.
Strickland had control of the match as they returned. Knight fought his way out of a Half Crab from Strickland, then, after a series of strikes, landed a suplex to the former champ. Knight hit an awesome-looking leaping lariat to drop Strickland. He tried for a standing frogsplash, but Strickland avoided the move and instead hit a Flatliner moments later.
Knight dodged a House Call, instead connecting with his standing frogsplash upon second attempt for a near fall. Strickland started to battle back into the match with a big boot. Man, I fear for how the Collision tapings go tonight, as the crowd was quite dead for this match, and AEW still has seven more bouts to tape. Anyway, back to the match.
Knight connected with a powerbomb out of the corner then a high-angle DDT, but it wasn’t enough to put away Strickland. MJF was impressed by Knight, but started to signal that he’d like this match to wrap up soon.
The fight went to the ring apron, where a DDT from Knight was countered into a brutal Death Valley Driver. Strickland brought them to the top of a ringside guardrail for a piledriver. Knight just barely beat a 10-count after that move.
Strickland kept the pressure on Knight with a 450 Splash, then locked in a Dragon Sleeper. Knight fought his way out of the hold. At the top rope, Knight scored a gigantic hurricanrana. He followed this up with a Coast-To-Coast dropkick. This sequence woke up the crowd a little.
Knight came off the top with his UFO Splash, but Strickland just barely escaped the pin by putting a foot on the bottom rope. Knight hit a House Call of his own. He picked up Strickland for a move, but Strickland fought his way out of it. These two traded hard shots on the feet – an exchange which ended after Strickland scored a mid-air House Call. Strickland followed up with a Vertebreaker and a Big Pressure for the pinfall win in 17 minutes.
Awesome match, and a stellar showcase for Knight, who, as I said earlier, certainly could already handle a singles push if AEW wanted. The crowd was completely deflated – they didn’t bring the energy to one of the better matches of the night.
Final thoughts
Similar to last night’s NXT, tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite was quite focused on a consistent and quite strong lineup of in-ring matchups. It makes sense: AEW doesn’t need to be in a rush with its main title program, since we’re still over a month out from their next pay-per-view card. This wasn’t an essential show to watch to help stay in touch with AEW’s top storylines, as a lot of what happened this week was just bridging the gap from what has been set up and what the next move in many of the promotion’s storylines will be. But, was it worth my time for the two hours and some change it was on? Absolutely. Really enjoyed the wrestling tonight in Orlando.
