AEW Dynamite airs tonight (July 1) with a live show from Viejas Arena in San Diego, California. This is the first episode of Dynamite during the four week build to Redemption, which takes place on July 26.
MJF is losing the world title before AEW’s biggest show of the year
The men’s world title scene in AEW has been booked incredibly well all year long, as it always seems like there are a half dozen or so viable challengers who are chasing down the champ. Putting the belt on Darby Allin for a month also added some unpredictability into the mix, since we know the champ is always in danger of slipping up and losing the most important thing in the world to him.
There’s another improbable challenger going after the belt tonight on Dynamite when AEW World Champion MJF defends the gold against Mark Briscoe. This match became official after Team Briscoe defeated Team DCMJF in a 12-man steel cage war over the weekend at Forbidden Door.
As mentioned, MJF already slipped up once this year and lost the world title in a match on Dynamite just days after a PPV. This world title match has the added wrinkle that MJF has never kicked out of Mark’s Jay Driller finisher, almost like it’s his kryptonite.
Even if the scumbag champ finds a way to survive the Jay Driller and cheat his way to victory, he is still surrounded by several other wrestlers coming after his belt. That includes Andrade, Kenny Omega, TNT Champion Kevin Knight, and Lio Rush Will Ospreay. Aside from Ospreay, the rest of the men on that list will all probably get a shot at the world title between now and All In London, which is AEW’s biggest show of the year.
Considering that Ospreay has already defeated MJF for a championship at Wembley Stadium (in 2024), I think there’s a good chance that MJF will drop the belt before All In 2026 so that the Aerial Assassin has someone different to fight this time around. Could that title change happen as soon as tonight when Briscoe gets his hands on the champ? Tune into Dynamite to find out.
The rest of the card
There will be at least one new champion crowned on Dynamite, because the card features a Survival of the Fittest match for the vacant TBS championship. This 6-woman elimination match includes Kris Statlander, Hikaru Shida, Harley Cameron, Queen Aminata, Stardom’s Maika, and CMLL World Women’s Champion Persephone. This could be one of the longest women’s matches in Dynamite history due to the required five eliminations before a winner is crowned.
Other stuff to keep an eye on
– AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla defeated Starlight Kid at Forbidden Door and then humiliated Stardom President Dumb Bitch Taro Okada afterwards. Will she finish off Okada for good tonight if he shows his face in the front row again to root for Maika in Survival of the Fittest?
– Chris Jericho and Tommaso Ciampa are scheduled to fight each other next week at Beach Break. Assuming they cross paths tonight, will the man who gets the last laugh on Dynamite be the one who ultimately loses next week?
– Now that Andrade has abandoned the Don Callis family and turned babyface, will he join forces with AEW International Champion Konozuke Takeshita to fight off Don’s 413+ henchmen, including the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Kyle Fletcher, and El Clon?
– Darby Allin used an explosive booby trap to send TNT Champion Kevin Knight plummeting off the top of a steel cage at Forbidden Door. What kind of extreme gimmick will the match have if these two fight over the belt soon?
– The Hurt Syndicate don’t care about championships anymore, and will hurt anyone if the price is right. Which babyface or heel will fork over the money to acquire their special service next?
– It has not been 90 days yet since the New Day and Motor City Machine Guns were released by WWE. Does that mean the Young Bucks will be next in line to challenge AEW World Tag Team Champions Christian Cage and Adam Copeland at Redemption?
– Speaking of Redemption, Kenny Omega looks like the frontrunner to challenge for the world title on that PPV card in Montreal. Was his win over Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door so impressive that it earned him a world title match, or will he have to beat one of the other men who are chasing after AEW’s top prize?
– Jay White is back in AEW! Do the Bang Bang Gang have big plans to neuter The Dogs before White gets back in the mix for the AEW world championship?
– What kind of victory speeches do Will Ospreay and Mercedes Mone have planned after winning the Owen Hart Tournaments at Forbidden Door?
– Is Brody King coming after AEW Continental Champion Jon Moxley next after the champ defeated ROH World Champion Bandido at Forbidden Door?
– As far as the Death Riders are concerned, will there be any consequences for Daniel Garcia and PAC after they lost their matches at Forbidden Door? Are they frustrated that Mox is spending so much of his time helping Will Ospreay achieve his goal of winning the AEW world title?
– What’s next for Swerve Strickland after his latest failure in pursuing the AEW world title? Does he get the week off after losing a pool of blood at Forbidden Door?
– Is Jungle Man Jack Perry still under contract with AEW?
– Don’t forget that this week’s Collision (which is being taped tonight after Dynamite) actually airs on Thursday night, rather than on the July 4 holiday weekend. Is this where Ricochet will try to ruin Matt Sydal’s return to an AEW ring?
– Where the f*** is Hangman Page? Did he see Ospreay and Swerve steal his finishing moves at Forbidden Door?
What will you be looking for on Dynamite?
