AEW Dynamite & Collision live results: Darby Allin defends against Mike Bailey

AEW Dynamite is live tonight from the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine.

It will be a three-hour block of programming this week, as one hour of Collision is being added onto the usual show.

Darby Allin will once again defend his AEW World title in the main event. This week, he will put his belt on the line against Mike Bailey, with the winner moving on to face MJF at Double or Nothing.

The full lineup for the show:

• AEW World Championship Match: Darby Allin vs. Mike Bailey
• AEW Tag Team Championship Match: FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) vs. Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong
• AEW Continental Championship Eliminator Match: Jon Moxley vs. Kyle O’Reilly
• AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship Eliminator Match: Megan Bayne and Lena Kross hold a five-minute eliminator challenge
• Anything Goes Match: Mark Briscoe vs. Tommaso Ciampa
• Will Ospreay vs. Katsuyori Shibata
• AEW Women’s Champion Thekla, ROH Women’s Champion Athena, Julia Hart, and Skye Blue vs. Thunder Rosa, Mina Shirakawa, Alex Windsor, and Jamie Hayter
• Swerve Strickland returns to AEW programming

Our live coverage kicks off at 8 p.m. Eastern.

AEW Dynamite comes on the air with Excalibur running down tonight’s card before we go to Jericho & The Young Bucks earlier today out by a lighthouse. They talk about the history of Stadium Stampede and call Jericho another founding father, despite years ago he beat their dad’s ass (Jericho said he might’ve deserved it). Jericho put over The Bucks as the best tag team in wrestling history and Nick said it’s water under the bridge. Tonight, Ricochet, Mark Davis & Andrade won’t know what hit them. A callback to Being The Elite years ago before they teamed on the Jericho Cruise, they debate whether to call their team The Bucks of Jericho or Y2Jackson. They settle on The Bucks of Jericho…or is it Y2Jackson as their full name. 2 names, 1 team.

The Bucks of Jericho…or is it Y2Jackson? (Jericho & The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) vs. Ricochet, IWGP Global Champion Andrade El Idolo & AEW National Champion Mark Davis (w/Don Callis)

(Action packed party match to kick off the show and give us a preview of what we can expect at Stadium Stampede, as match I will say already that I will try my best to keep up with all the action in this on Sunday. I like the callback to The Bucks of Jericho from years ago and the loss here tonight does lead me to believe the babyfaces could be walking away with the W at the PPV. Maybe I’m missing something, but as of this moment, I’m baffled on why Jack Perry hit the ring with onions.)

Callis joins commentary and said he’s known Jericho for such a long time that he stooged off all the info on him to his team. Jericho started things off by firing early chops to Andrade, who opted to quickly go outside and gets some digits from female fans ringside before taking photos with them. Jerichow as out after and chopped Andrade back inside, where The Bucks & Jericho hit a trifecta springboard splash/moonsault/fist drop combo. Davis made a tag and easily took over on Nick, who used his speed to escape the heel corner and fast tag to Matt, who ran wild with a wall walk on Ricochet to get a Sliced Bread on Andrade. Superkick flush outside to Davis, as back inside, Matt went for rolling Northern Lights on Andrade, until he switched to a Cazadora Facebuster on Ricochet and double Northern Lights on both men. The Bucks hit dueling dives outside, until Jericho dives onto the pile. The Bucks of Jericho or is it Y2Jackson hit a trio pose, but the heels quickly regroup and take over, isolating Nick (Ricochet took his headband and is wearing it now).

Nick was able to hit his Lucha Libre arm drag to battle back and make the hot tag to Jericho, who clobbered Andrade with a double sledge and bulldog. Ricochet cut off a Lionsault, as the match broke down until The Bucks of Jericho do a trifecta of corner punches into a 3-way hurricanranas. Jericho missed a Judas Effect on Andrade who ducked right into a double superkick from The Bucks for two. Superkick Party unleashed on everyone in their path until Andrade is able to stop it with a Three Amigos and finally one on Nick onto his brother. Andrade slowly goes up top, tries his rolling Moonsault, but Matt got the knees up. Launching off his brothers back into a Destroyer on Andrade, who suffered a BTE Trigger to follow. Ricochet broke the count with a Rico-sault, so Jericho tried a Walls of Jericho, but Ricochet spun free, bicycle knee, only Jericho clotheslined and hit a baseball slide to the floor. Jericho & Ricochet brawl into the crowd and up onto the time keepers table, where Ricochet wanted a suplex, only Jericho countered into a back suplex causing both to crash through the table.

Davis cut off The Bucks momentum back inside, but Matt ducked and Andrade wiped out his partner with his spinning back elbow. Andrade ate a BTE Trigger, but somehow kicked out, as everyone thought that was it. The Bucks signal for a Meltzer Driver, only referee Aubrey is distracted by Davis trying to bring a chair in. Clark Connors & David Finlay sprint out, as Connors trips up Nick, while Finlay cracks Matt with a shillelagh out of nowhere for Andrade to steal the pin.

The Gates of Agony run out to get in their shots with the heels in the post-match until Jack Perry hits the ring with a bag of onions (I’m not kidding) and pops Liona with it, who no sold. The Hurt Syndicate’s music hits and out run Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin and the brawl is on to give us a preview of Stadium Stampede this Sunday. Everyone brawls around the arena leaving Lashley to lay out Liona with a huge spear to stand tall.

Match Result: Ricochet, Andrade El Idolo & Mark Davis defeated The Bucks of Jericho…or is it Y2Jackson? when Andrade pinned Matt

-Video package on Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita for the International Title at Double or Nothing is shown. Don Callis said to get this out of both of their systems, as they are Jordan & Pippen.

**********

-Renee Paquette is backstage with Darby Allin and asks why he constantly wants to defend the title so frequently? Allin said he has no choice, it’s exactly what he thought it’d be, the greatest feeling in the world to be World Champion. It’s so big for Sunday and MJF’s hair on the line because he’s the most vain person in the world, so every red carpet he walks, he’ll be haunted by it and eat him alive. Tonight, Speedball, he’ll do anything it takes to hold onto the title and wants Bailey to do the same. Whatever happens tonight, he’s going to do whatever it takes. We then go to a video history package on Allin vs. MJF and Allin’s insane title reign he’s been on since winning the AEW World Title.

Mark Briscoe vs. Tommaso Ciampa in an Anything Goes Match

(What a battle this was, as neither man held anything back and treated this like it was a PPV caliber fight. The crowd were loud throughout and we got some seriously brutal moments in this, as Briscoe successfully got his revenge. I wonder what each man will go from here, as I wish both would’ve somehow been in the Owen Tournament, but the roster is so stacked as is, I think come Continental Classic season, we’ll see both Briscoe & Ciampa in that tournament.)

Briscoe (who is wearing a white tank top, so expect that to get bloody) brought out a trash can filled with weapons, as both slug it out in the middle of the ring at the opening bell. Briscoe swung with the trash can, but Ciampa took out the knees and used weapons first. More plunder from under the ring, as Ciampa brought out a trash can, only got his hand caught in a rat trap, so Briscoe had it ready for him. Briscoe set up a table ringside, sat Ciampa on a chair, cleared the table with a Blockbuster from the apron. Wrapping a chain around Ciampa’s throat, Briscoe placed him on the table, but was too slow going up top, so Ciampa sent Briscoe crashing through the table. Back inside, Ciampa gets a cheese grater and rakes it across the forehead and right on cue, Briscoe is bleeding to the sound of “You Sick F*ck” chants. Ciampa then took a crowbar and drove it into Briscoe’s mouth before throwing a ladder into the ring. With a trash can over Briscoe’s head, Ciampa swung for the fences with a kendo stick before tossing the bloodied Briscoe outside, placing a chair around the throat and posting him.

During picture-in-picture, for some reason Ciampa got into the face of Taz briefly and Taz said Ciampa better watch out, he’ll get his ass choked out by his metal limbs. Ciampa actually pulled out a stuffed animal chicken from under the ring to mock Briscoe, put the boots to it, used the cheese grater and hit a lungblower on it before making the cover for 2, as Briscoe broke the count (that’s a sentence I just wrote). Bleeding buckets, Briscoe sprayed Ciampa with a fire extinguisher and an Exploder sent Ciampa crashing outside. Briscoe set up a table ringside and used a staple gun to staple barbed wire onto it. Briscoe focused on that too long, allowing Ciampa to take over and rake the barbed wire into Briscoe’s face. Ciampa took papers from the commentary table and stapled them to Briscoe’s head, as he crawled around the ring with them still stuck. Ciampa put on a thumbtack covered knee pad on, but missed a charge and Briscoe hit a drop toe hold into the ladder in the corner. Briscoe got a screwdriver and stabbed away at a now bloodied Ciampa. Escaping a DVD in the corner, Ciampa hit a suplex on the ladder into the corner for two.

Both exchange heavy handed shots, until Ciampa hit a charging knee with that thumbtack covered knee pad. Placing two chairs next to each other, Ciampa looks for the same move he took Briscoe out for three months with, an Avalanche Psycho Killer, but Briscoe escaped, put the chairs back to back and hit a gnarly Iconoclasm onto the chairs. Taking him quickly to the apron, Jay Driller through the barbed wire table connected before Briscoe quickly took it back inside and up top with a Froggy Bow to win a bloody war.

Match Result: Mark Briscoe defeated Tommaso Ciampa

**********

Tony Schiavone is in the ring and was about to talk about the upcoming Owen Hart Tournament matches at Double or Nothing when he’s interrupted by Prince Nana, who said Schiavone is dressed like a substitute teacher trying to teach these fools and told him to get out the ring. Nana introduced Swerve Strickland, who slowly walked out, until being attacked by Bandido. Slamming Strickland into the barricade, Bandido took flight with a somersault dive before smashing Strickland into the steps. Nana tried using a chair from behind, was caught, but caused enough distraction for Strickland to take out Bandido’s leg and dish out punches in bunches in the ring. Setting a chair up in the ring, Strickland wanted a Vertebreaker on the chair (similar to Supercard of Honor last week), but Bandido escaped and hit a one arm press slam. Bandido was about to try a 21-Plex, Strickland grabbed the chair and we get an awkward exchange of Strickland just throwing the chair at Bandido, who caught it and the two stared at each other until Strickland bailed. I was surprised how quiet the crowd was for this brawl, as I enjoyed it.

Willow Nightingale Relinquishes the TBS Title and Withdraws from the Owen Hart Tournament

TBS Champion Willow Nightingale is backstage saying winning that title was one of the greatest moments of her career and talks about winning the Owen before and the TBS Title prior to that. However, she knew if she beat Mercedes Mone for the TBS Title, she knew she’d prove to herself that she’s everything she believed she could be. She told herself; she’d fight day in and out to any challenger who steps up and if she couldn’t do that, she doesn’t deserve to be champion. Unfortunately, during her title defense against Red Velvet, she injured her right shoulder. As much as she wants to fight in front of her family at Double or Nothing against Alex Windsor and win the tournament. She unfortunately has to pull out of the Owen Hart Tournament and also relinquish the TBS Title. After 10 successful defenses, she’s proud to be the face of TBS and doesn’t know when she’ll be back, but when she does, she’s coming back to the top. Nightingale thanks everyone with a smile on her face and walks away, as we see her spot is now a Wild Card spot to face Alex Windsor. We’re told Athena vs. Mina Shirakawa will take place at the PPV. Commentary put over Nightingale for being such a class act and they feel horrible for her having to give up her TBS Title.

Jon Moxley vs. AEW Trios Champion Kyle O’Reilly in an AEW Continental Title Eliminator

(Damn fine wrestling match this was, as you could get a sense this was going to a draw at the slower pace these two were on. It built up down the stretch and we got a very fun sprint that got the crowd biting at an O’Reilly win. I assume we’re getting the rematch at the PPV, but that card is so stacked, I wouldn’t mind it being held on a Dynamite. Whenever it does take place, it should be even better than this one tonight.)

Renee Paquette is ringside talking about how this is O’Reilly’s first true test in singles action since returning from injury. She asked her husband how the history with O’Reilly submitting him multiple times in the past and he told her he’s a better man today than I was yesterday. Very even back and forth ground work from both to kick things off, as this is a full-on grappling match, until Moxley just pops O’Reilly with a forearm and boot to gain control before zoning in on the left wrist. O’Reilly switched levels and hit a leg sweep that led to corner kicks to the leg, as Moxley tried shaking his leg out, but ate a snap suplex for two. Both slug it out with forearms and jabs until they start paint brushing one another before Moxley cracks O’Reilly in the ribs and he crumbled putting a smile on Moxley’s face. More body shots from Moxley, as O’Reilly hit a low bridge to the outside, wanted a dive, but put on the brakes after hitting the ropes, selling the ribs. Moxley continued wearing O’Reilly down for an extended period of time, as we get a 10-minute call from Arkady Aura.

O’Reilly was able to fight back with a suplex into the corner, as Moxley clutched at his left leg. Each trade corner charges, until a kitchen sink from O’Reilly led to a diving knee from the second rope. Both spill outside and hit with multiple running boots until a double clothesline leave both down. They battle back to the ring and up in the corner, where Moxley bites away at the head of O’Reilly and rakes the back at the 15-minute call right as Moxley hits a superplex. O’Reilly escaped a Bulldog Choke into an Ankle Lock, as Moxley escaped back into a Gator Roll into the Bulldog, but O’Reilly got a rope break. To the apron they go, Moxley tried a piledriver, but O’Reilly slammed the bad arm down onto the edge of the ring and hit a running dropkick against the barricade.

Back inside, Moxley explodes out with a Cutter for two before pouncing with forearms. O’Reilly scrambled into an arm-triangle, switched to an Exploder before a PK caught Moxley flush, but O’Reilly collapsed. Each get to their feet at the 60-second call, as Moxley missed a Curb Stomp and O’Reilly sinks in the Ankle Lock in the middle of the ring, grape vining the leg. The crowd, who has been quietly really taking this match in, are going nuts at Moxley teasing a tap, but the bell sounds and we get a draw.

Post-match, O’Reilly stormed over and got the microphone saying he didn’t survive a damn thing and Moxley barely survived him. O’Reilly has a legit claim to the Continental Title and says the rematch will be No Time Limit and Moxley will be out of luck.

Match Result: Jon Moxley vs. Kyle O’Reilly ended in a 20-minute time limit draw

-Renee Paquette is backstage with Kris Statlander & Hikaru Shida to ask about their thoughts on Willow Nightingale vacating the TBS Title. Statlander began to talk and was immediately interrupted by Shida, who said they will fight together on Sunday and they’ll be watching the ladies closely in the Owen Hart Tournament. Statlander (who told Paquette she’ll be cleared on Sunday) told Shida to watch it and stormed off, so Shida told the ladies to get ready. This was pretty awkward; they need to do the full-blown Shida turn soon.

**********

-Rush is backstage already laying out a challenge to Darby Allin for the AEW World Title if he defeats MJF this Sunday. If you mess with the bull, you get the horns.

ROH Women’s Champion Athena & Triangle of Madness (AEW Women’s Champion Thekla, Julia Hart & Skye Blue) vs. Thunder Rosa, Mina Shirakawa & The Brawling Birds (Jamie Hayter & Alex Windsor)

Rosa & Athena with a fast start, until Windsor made the tag and immediately ate a chop to the throat from Athena. Tag to Blue, as Hayter made a blind tag, came in so fast she accidentally booted her own partner before taking Blue down for two. Thekla & Shirakawa tag in, with Shirakawa quickly hitting a snap dropkick to the back and shimmy to pop the crowd. Shirakawa dodges a corner charge and hit her Tornillo for two. Athena hit a cheap shot to allow Thekla to take control and isolate Shirakawa in her corner for an extended period. Athena came in hot with a handspring forearm into an inside cradle for two, as Shirakawa responded almost with a La Mistica for the double down. Tag to Rosa & Blue, as it’s Rosa who’s a house of fire with a flying corner clothesline and double down. Stalling dropkick into the ropes led to a Northern Lights for two. Thekla made the save, but ran into a Hayt-breaker, Hart was there with a lungblower, Windsor met her with a Blue Thunder Bomb, Athena with her version of Something Evil, as Athena kept cleaning house until a double uppercut with Rosa left all 8 women down.

Shirakawa cut off an Athena dive with a high kick, as she tried a cross body off the apron, Athena caught her, only Shirakawa spun into a DDT on the floor. Blind tag from Thekla, who ate a shotgun dropkick from Rosa, as Blue blindsided her with a running knee strike. She tried Code Blue, but was tripped up outside by The Brawling Birds who hit a leg sweep/big boot combo. Thekla went to use the AEW Women’s Title, but referee Mike Posey took it from her and the distraction allowed Hart to mist Rosa. Thekla quickly in to steal the pin, as the babyface team tended to Rosa as the heels celebrated up the aisle.

Match Result: Athena & Triangle of Madness defeated Thunder Rosa, Mina Shirakawa & The Brawling Birds when Thekla pinned Rosa

-Kevin Knight is backstage with Speedball Mike Bailey hyping him up before his World Title match tonight and said they can be the faces of AEW together. Knight said when Bailey wins the World Title, don’t forget about the little people and wants another shot at that title and Bailey already agrees to it.

**********

-Renee Paquette is backstage trying to interview the Death Riders, who are all doing push-ups, asking Moxley what he will do this Sunday at the PPV against Kyle O’Reilly under No Time Limit? Moxley thanks O’Reilly for what he’s done for him, for pushing him to be better, driving him crazy for not finding a way to beat him. Thank you for giving him a chance to practice what he preaches, win, lose or draw, O’Reilly has done something extraordinary, tapped him out twice, but what are the odds he does it three times? What are your odds at Double or Nothing, when this time, the house will win, Game 7 is the only game that matters, when everything is on the line, does Moxley miss?

Darby Allin vs. Speedball Mike Bailey for the AEW World Title

(You know that the title reign of Allin has been so insane when this would probably be considered the tamest of all the battles he’s had so far. This had some serious hard-hitting kicks from Bailey, who had his moments to win this, but Allin was not going to be denied this close to Double or Nothing. The very interesting thing was the post-match promo from Kevin Knight, as some could view this as a last second encouragement to Allin, but I could certainly see Knight turning heel in the not so distant future, which would be interesting to see unfold.)

Excalibur mentions Allin’s interview released today with Andreas Hale on ESPN.com and encouraged everyone to go read it. MJF’s music hit before the bell and he joined commentary, as Bailey exploded out with a big boot, dropkick out of the corner and corkscrew kick, as he teased Ultimate Weapon, but Allin rolled to the apron. Bailey lit up Allin with kicks, swept out the leg causing Allin to take a neck bump on the apron before Bailey hit a Triangle Moonsault. MJF brings up Bailey dressed in Grimace purple, as Bailey hit leaping double knees to the ribs ringside and another off the ring steps. Bailey went to the barricade, but Allin swept the legs out this time and hit a Scorpion Death Drop on top of the barricade.

Allin kept Bailey grounded back inside, locking in a guillotine, so Bailey charged through the ropes and both crumbled outside. Both slug it out ringside, where Allin dropped the ring steps onto the bare foot of Bailey, who managed to still hit a thrust kick with his free leg. Once he got free, Allin was right there to meet him with a wild Tope, but tried a Coffin Splash back inside and leapt right into a backstabber by Bailey. Corkscrew corner kick connects, but missed Ultimate Weapon, so Allin quickly hit a Coffin Drop to the back. MJF got up and placed Bailey’s foot on the ropes to break the count. Kevin Knight sprinted out and got into MJF’s face as he told the TNT Champ to relax, he’s doing commentary. Bailey nearly caught Allin in with a headlock pin for two, as Allin countered into La Magistral, but Bailey countered into a Straightjacket bridge for two. Wild roundhouse kick clocked Allin, as Bailey followed up with Time Adventure for a close near fall.

PK led to a moonsault double knees and thrust kick that knocked Allin back to the corner, where Bailey wanted a Flamingo Driver, Allin escaped into a Scorpion Death Drop. Allin locked in the Scorpion Death Lock, as Knight encouraged his partner to fight to the ropes and he did. Allin quickly hit another Coffin Drop to the back, reapplied the Scorpion Death Lock, as Bailey was reaching out to Knight, but ultimately tapped out. MJF stormed off through the crowd, as he knows there’s no more obstacles heading into Sunday, his hair will be on the line.

Match Result: Darby Allin defeated Speedball Mike Bailey to retain the AEW World Title

Collision kicks off with Knight taking the mic and telling Bailey to keep his head up, as he gave Allin the best fight of his title reign and that he’s proud of him. Knight is proud of how Bailey fought tonight and told Allin we haven’t seen a champion like him ever in AEW, truly proving this is where the best wrestle, as no one has heart like Darby Allin. With that being said, it’s up to Allin to humble MJF’s arrogant ass. If Knight can beat MJF, he knows Allin can do it and shave him bald and afterwards, they’ll send his ass back to Turkey. Just know, they’ll be ready and waiting, so don’t let The Jet and the crowd down, as they’re counting on him

JetSpeed helped Allin up and left, as this allowed MJF to attack Allin from behind. We see Bald signs in the crowd, as the crowd chant Bald at MJF, who held up the AEW World Title saying he’ll win it a third time. MJF went under the ring and took out some hair clippers, went to use them on Allin, but was fought off, Allin got a takedown and control of the clippers. He was about to get some of MJF’s hair, but MJF scurried away up the aisle with a terrified look on his face.

-Death Riders hyped up Will Ospreay backstage before making his entrance for the upcoming match.

Will Ospreay vs. Katsuyori Shibata

(Hard fought win here for Ospreay, as I’m surprised he didn’t win again with the submission he used last week on Ace Austin, but Paquette did mention how Shibata has never submitted, which, that’d even be more of a reason to use it and look stronger, no? I digress, as the post-match promo from both Joe, but especially Ospreay, was excellent as it will truly be shocking if anyone other than him wins this men’s Owen Hart Tournament.)

Renee Paquette is ringside and brings up Ospreay’s new armbar submission called Death Ground and brings up tonight, he faces Shibata, a man who has never been submitted. Bell sounds and Shibata immediately hit a leaping cross arm bar forcing Ospreay to get a rope break. Shibata offered a handshake, but Ospreay flipped him off and picked the ankle. Shibata escaped, took Ospreay to the apron and hit a snap suplex, held on and connected on another ringside. Sitting Ospreay down on a chair, Shibata teased a charge, put on the brakes and just booted Ospreay right in the mush. Back inside, Ospreay hit a Helluva Kick and corner forearms, but Shibata was right there to hit some of his own. A big boot sent Shibata outside, as Ospreay hit his slingshot cross body. Shibata managed to regain control by sending Ospreay into the barricade and delivering anvil elbows back inside, targeting the neck of Ospreay.

Out of nowhere, Ospreay explodes out into a handspring corkscrew kick to get back in the driver’s seat, as Pip, Pip, Cheerio connects for two. Kawada kicks led to a powerbomb attempt, which Shibata floated through into a guillotine. Ospreay got the ropes, but Shibata hit his stalling corner dropkick and half and half suplex for two. Ospreay starts firing up, no selling kicks and battles back, but Shibata no sells kicks of his own. Explosive spinning elbow from Ospreay, who did the deal and hit a Falcon Arrow to follow. Flying forearm to the back of the neck off the top, as Ospreay signaled for Hidden Blade, but Anthony Bowens showed up ringside to trip him up and allow Shibata to hit a Hidden Blade of his own for two. We see Marina Shafir & Claudio Castagnoli watching from the crowd, as Shafir jumped the barricade and Bowens scurried away. Low blow from Shibata on Ospreay, as a cross-arm breaker was applied, but Ospreay got a high stack to powerbomb out transitioning into a Styles Clash. Hidden Blade wiped out Shibata for the win.

Post-match, Samoa Joe’s music hits and the leader of The Opps walks out. Joe said Will and his wonderful friends coming to his rescue again, but don’t worry, he’s not out here for him. In a very short time, Joe will have Ospreay all to himself, he’s only out here because he’s looking after his friends. Ospreay chose not to be Joe’s friend, so he’ll suffer because of it. At Double or Nothing, Joe will give Ospreay exactly what he wants, his dream match and guarantees he’ll put his ass to sleep.

Ospreay said this Sunday is a dream come true, but Joe insists it’s a nightmare. Ospreay said his nightmare situation is waking up next to his wife, grabbing her ass, looking at his phone and seeing everyone talk about how he doesn’t have it anymore and lost too much weight, no sh*t, he had neck surgery. Ospreay talks about the high stakes and the winner of the Owen Hart Tournament getting a World Title shot at the biggest stadium of his life, fulfilling his countries dream and his own dream, as he’s got a whole country on his back. Ospreay’s nightmare died at the hands of the Death Riders, they killed the old Ospreay and rebooted him into a killer, an assassin. Sunday, Ospreay starts his road to his dream, he’s winning the Owen and AEW World Championship. Hell of a promo from Joe & Ospreay.

Match Result: Will Ospreay defeated Katsuyori Shibata

-Adam Copeland & Christian Cage are sitting backstage and talk about the origins of their friendship talking about someday becoming Tag Team Champions. They’ve done everything together, even finding out they’re having daughters 6 weeks apart (Cage hilariously looked disgusted at that), as this is real. For over 30 years, they’ve been coming into fans TV screens every week, that’s a real connection and it’s what FTR wants to kill, they want to end their tag team. Copeland wants the best version of FTR, the ones who dropped his wife on her head. They want to beat the best FTR and make them say I Quit. Cage said FTR has made some questionable choices and he always says when you’re born you look like you’re family and when you die, you look like your choices. Double or Nothing, they’re going to f*ck you up.

Rush vs. TJ Crawford

Crawford wanted a handshake, Rush gave it to him, but didn’t let go and instead hit a brutal forearm. Loud chops and more forearms in the corner led to the Bulls Horns for the win in another slaughter.

Match Result: Rush defeated TJ Crawford

**********

Divine Dominion (Lena Kross & Megan Bayne) vs. Elle Valentine & Kayla Lopez in an AEW Women’s Tag Team Title Eliminator 5-Minute Challenge

Renee Paquette is ringside and puts over the champions before Kross quiets her saying let’s see how long this is going to last. Bayne wasted no time driving shoulders into the corner on Valentine, who dodged a charge, hit one chop and had a huge smile on her face. “You F’d Up” chants, as the smile turned to panic, as a pissed off Bayne brought Valentine to her corner, where Kross lit her up with rapid fire elbows and spinning side suplex. Lopez made a tag and immediately had her face booted off by Kross, as locomotion corner boots led to a release German by Bayne. Stereo delayed vertical suplexes led to the double chokeslam on Lopez for the win with 2:10 left.

Match Result: Divine Dominion defeated Elle Valentine & Kayla Lopez to retain the AEW Women’s Tag Team Titles

-A video package on the previous Hair matches in AEW is shown, as we saw Ortiz shave his head after losing to Chris Jericho a few years back and also Wheeler Yuta having his hair shaved bald in Australia at Grand Slam.

Excalibur runs down the entire Double or Nothing card

**********

FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler w/Stokely) vs. AEW Trios Champions The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy & Roderick Strong) for the AEW Tag Team Titles

(For a match that went 15-minutes over the top of the hour and had multiple commercial breaks, I was kind of let down by the finish here. In no way because FTR won, of course they should’ve, but more of just due to it being a ref cowering and foreign object quick finish after a near 20-minute match. Up until the finish, I enjoyed the match for the most part, thought I didn’t think we needed multiple hot tags this late in the show. As much as I enjoy FTR as heel tag team champions, I think having Cope & Cage winning on Sunday and getting some new matches for the titles would be refreshing, especially with so much on the line for them.)

Before FTR could even get their ring jackets off, Cassidy nearly caught them with a flash pin with his hands in his pockets for two. FTR were going to leave (Wheeler hilariously called someone a bearded lady ringside), but Strong put a stop to it, as Cassidy dove (or did he just fall) from the top onto the pile. Strong brought Harwood into the ring for a huge back body drop, as Cassidy teased an Orange Punch, but Wheeler saved his partner and FTR regrouped. They were able to get control of Strong and slingshot him under the bottom rope, with Stokely getting in some cheap shots of his own. Strong was isolated for an extended time, until a double clothesline led to the reset with Wheeler.

Cassidy made the hot tag and diving cross body off the top on Harwood, tried a spinning DDT on Wheeler, FTR tried a double team, Strong saved his partner and hit a chop/sunset flip combo for two. Strong took Harwood outside, as Cassidy hit an Elbow Suicida before Wheeler got a blind tag, leading to a Harwood spinebuster for two. Wheeler taunted Strong while applying a Cobra Clutch on Cassidy, who slid free, dodged multiple Harwood elbows and ducked a wild Wheeler dive on the apron. Strong went after Wheeler on the apron to cost him a tag, leading to Harwood spiking Cassidy with a piledriver for two. Excalibur told us we’re taking our final commercial break of the evening 5 past the top of the hour.

After working on Cassidy for close to 5-minutes, he dodged a Wheeler splash and made the hot tag to Strong, who ran wild with chops and back breakers before tagging Cassidy back in and used him as an exhausted projectile. Diving DDT connects on Wheeler for two, as Strong took out Harwood with a baseball slide. Harwood recovered and posted Strong, as Cassidy avoided Shatter Machine and nearly got a flash pin on Wheeler. Strong was slammed into the barricade, as FTR mocked the little kicks on Cassidy, wanted a double suplex, but Strong hit a Sick Kick into a Cassidy cradle for two. Stokely got up on the apron with Christian Cage’s watch, as Cassidy ducked, Harwood collided with Stokely on the apron and Cassidy got yet another roll-up for two. Stundog Millionaire led to Cassidy signaling for Orange Punch, only he ran right into Shatter Machine, but Strong broke it up. Cassidy hit a backslide on Harwood, who just kicked out at two, as Cassidy nearly ran into referee Paul Turner, who ducked and covered, allowing Stokely to punch Cassidy with the watch and Harwood get the roll-up for the win.

Match Result: FTR defeated The Conglomeration to retain the AEW Tag Team Titles when Harwood pinned Cassidy

AEW Double or Nothing 5/24/26

• Darby Allin vs. MJF in a Title vs. Hair Match for the AEW World Title
• Thekla vs. Kris Statlander vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Jamie Hayter for the AEW Women’s Title
• Jericho, The Elite (Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson) & Jungle Jack Perry) & The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin w/MVP) vs. The Demand (Ricochet, Toa Liona & Bishop Kaun), AEW National Champion Mark Davis, Andrade El Idolo & The Dogs (David Finlay & Clark Connors) in Anarchy in the Arena
• FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. Cage & Cope (Christian Cage & Adam Copeland) in an I Quit Match for the AEW Tag Team Titles
• Jon Moxley vs. Kyle O’Reilly in a No Time Limit Match for the AEW Continental Title
• Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita for the AEW International Title
• Will Ospreay vs. Samoa Joe in a Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarterfinal
• Swerve Strickland vs. ROH Champion Bandido in a Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarterfinal
• ROH Women’s Champion Athena vs. Mina Shirakawa in a Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Quarterfinal
• Renee Paquette & Mick Foley Host the Buy In

Ryan Howard

Since 2022, Ryan has been the Recapper/Reviewer for both AEW PPVs & Dynamite for F4WOnline & the Wrestling Observer. Previously, he recapped AEW Dark from 2021-2022 for PWTorch.