Image: AEW
Editor’s note: The following is an opinion-based preview and reflects that of the author and not our website.
AEW is once again cooking. Last month’s Revolution was one of the best pay-per-views in company history. It might even be the best if the main event was anything less than a torturous watch worthy of a trip to The Hague.
Dynasty likely won’t reach those same heights as it’s tough to put together a card with only a few weeks of build but it still offers enough to make it worth our time and money. Megan Bayne, “Speedball” Mike Bailey and Kevin Knight are all making their big show debuts. Swerve Strickland might even reclaim his place at the top of the company.
We’re officially on the road to All In. Let’s see how it all shakes out for Sunday’s AEW Dynasty (8 PM Eastern main card start on pay-per-view):
Will Ospreay vs. Kevin Knight in a men’s Owen Hart Foundation quarterfinal
Every generation sees the bar for athleticism move higher and higher. The splash of the top rope that used to draw oohs and aahs from the crowd now hardly draws applause. A moonsault gets only slightly more. What was once special becomes expected as that bar climbs. Every night, freak athletes wrestle on TV.
Yet, Kevin Knight may be a step above the rest. He might be the one who moves that bar to the thinnest of air. The way he moves is unique. The height he gets on a dropkick kind of melts my brain. We’re conditioned to see things look a certain way. Yet, his movements surprise. They don’t align with what we imagine. The suddenness and explosion remind me of when I first saw PAC highlight reels. We can’t predict outliers, but when we see one, we can recognize it. Knight is one of them.
Ospreay got another tattoo and you simply have to hand it to him. Lots of sweet birds, dragons, and other cool symbols are finding their way onto his body. He is unapologetically himself and frankly, I respect it. Keep filling that skin canvas, Will, and keep winning. As much promise as Knight holds, he’s not ready to hang with Ospreay. A brisk 10-13 minute exhibition at full throttle to get the crowd fired up is just the way to open the show.
Prediction: Ospreay advances
Mercedes Mone vs. Julia Hart in a women’s Owen Hart Foundation quarterfinal
Mone has two tentpole opponents this year: Toni Storm and Athena. Anything else happening should be in the service of either of those matches. One could happen soon if she and Athena advance in the Owen Hart Tournament (they will). The other is set for the biggest show of the year: All In.
It’s not difficult to sketch a future with Mercedes draped in her belts — including one for winning this tournament — and proclaiming herself the best. Cut to black and white, cue “Timeless” Toni to say something weird and suitably vulgar, and off we go. One match for everything. This is what Mone’s run in AEW has been building toward since she signed: the biggest match possible on the grandest stage possible. Full apologies to Hart, but she’s a slight obstacle on the road towards that.
Prediction: Mone advances
Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe in a men’s Owen Hart Foundation quarterfinal
Both times these two touched were magic. They may not be perfect rivals, always pulled together like Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland, but they could be perfect in-ring opponents. Fletcher has completely established himself as a heel and the tearaway pants are the flawless final touch for his presentation.
He’s matched by the wild, pure babyface of Briscoe. If anyone lesser tried the Mark Briscoe formula, it would fall flat. He has a rare mix of unpredictability, charm, and innate timing. The term “one of one” is a bit lazy and overused, but that’s exactly what Briscoe is. I love him and I love these two together. Fletcher’s victory sets up what could be an incredible semifinal match against Page. Give me all that.
Prediction: Fletcher advances
ROH World Champion Chris Jericho defends against Bandido in a title vs. mask match
Bandido’s talent and charm are so powerful that I’m writing about Jericho matches again despite my self-imposed protest. Bandido perpetually feels like the first day of Spring: full of excitement and full of all the promise in the world. He is an energy shifter. When he’s on screen, the crowd sits up straighter and pays more attention even before the bell rings. Once it does, he fulfills that promise. This is a dynamic, kinetic performer that belongs on weekly television. It’s wonderful to have him back and I hope he’s here forever.
As much as it pains me to admit it, Jericho has been…kind of good here and at least a good enough foil for Bandido. It’s the most engaged he’s been in years, and Bandido is benefiting from the program. It must be contract negotiation season.
Prediction: Bandido wins the title
AEW World Tag Team Champions The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) defend against Big Bill & Bryan Keith
As far as injury replacements and adjustments go, this could be a lot worse. Big Bill’s growth as a character is far more captivating than anything related to the Murder Machines. His career is a fascinating and inspiring one. He has experienced the highs of WWE and fought through addiction. His story shows the power of the human spirit and is deserving of our complete respect. And from a wrestling sense, the dude gets over. He was over in WWE, was over in a thrown-together tag team with Ricky Starks (RIP), and he’s over now. He’s the best part of The Learning Tree and is capable of so much more.
Just like I said before Revolution, the Hurt Syndicate are still the stars we need in the tag division. I am cautiously optimistic over their involvement in an MJF angle. MVP is fantastic on the mic, capable of drawing out MJF’s best. But there’s always a risk that the program devolves into more of the same MJF milieu. For now, the Syndicate remains strong. Nothing about that changes on Sunday.
Prediction: The Hurt Syndicate retain
AEW World Trios Champions The Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli, PAC & Wheeler Yuta) defend against Rated FTR (Cope, Cash Wheeler & Dax Harwood)
It doesn’t take a clairvoyant to connect the dots here. An FTR breakup is unlikely, at least not now. Maybe they splinter at some point at the end of their careers, but an all-time tag team breaking up over Cope is certainly not happening. The far more likely outcome sees Dax and Cash turning on Cope and the Death Riders retaining.
Given the issues in Christian Cage’s Patriarchy, could he and Cope end up in each other’s platonic arms again? They should reunite before they retire. It’s not a bold claim, but it’s necessary. The two of them reuniting at All In to wrestle FTR is fitting for a show of that stature. The journey to that could start this weekend.
Prediction: Death Riders retain
TNT Champion Daniel Garcia defend against Adam Cole in a no time limit, everyone banned from ringside match
It is an unfortunate and inconvenient truth that the Cole so many of us fell in love with might be gone forever. This is partly because of his injuries and extended time off. It’s also because what made him unique is now usual. I mentioned it when talking about Knight, but benchmarks change. They change in every sport and wrestling is no different.
Cole was emblematic of the PWG-influenced indie era of the 2010s, but styles and preferences have shifted. For better or worse, almost every AEW wrestler can, and often does, wrestle that kind of match. He’s still a gifted talker and connector, but what he does in the ring is not as remarkable as it once was. Ringing the bell doesn’t make him special anymore. I take no pleasure in writing this, and hope I’m wrong, but it’s far likelier we’ve already seen the best of Adam Cole.
Danny Garcia, the wrestler, is remarkably refined for someone so young. It’s easy to forget that he’s still only 26 and a burgeoning star in an unconventional way. He has polished in-ring skills that reflect someone with far more experience. Garcia wrestles with an edge, but maintains a bit of babyface playfulness. I’d like to see him lean into his edgier side, but that’s preference more than anything. He doesn’t completely check every box, but there are no empty boxes on his ledger. A future in the main event is squarely in his range of outcomes. It just will take time to get there.
Prediction: Garcia retains
AEW International Champion Kenny Omega defends against Ricochet and “Speedball” Mike Bailey in a triple threat
The excitement in this match comes not from the result, but from the AEW PPV debut of Bailey. While he is familiar to the sickos, this is his first true opportunity to connect with such a large audience. This is not TNA, DDT or GCW. This is a massive platform and Bailey has a lot that stands out like his unique look, presentation, and martial arts style catch attention. But can he set himself apart from the many great in-ring performers? Ricochet faced a similar problem when he debuted in AEW. He had to change his character to connect with the audience. I think “Speedball” will face a similar challenge.
Like some of the other matches on the card, this feels like a placeholder for something bigger down the road. The only thing that should matter in Omega’s world is a match with Kazuchika Okada. Both should be booked as strongly as possible until we get there, likely on July 12th, deep in the heart of Texas.
Prediction: Omega retains
AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm defends against Megan Bayne
To this point, “Timeless” has yet to stand completely alone. She was inextricably linked to Mariah May. Everything she did — story beats, matches, etc. — was in service of their story. With that over, curiosity abounds. What does this character look like untethered from a major foil? Does it lend itself to the more traditional “challenger of the month” type programs? Storm has proven to be up for pretty much anything, and this will be her biggest challenge yet.
The rollout of Bayne as a monstrous force in AEW is good and her matches with Kris Statlander have been even better. Her presentation and what happens between the bells are more than ready, even if the rest is not quite there yet. For someone with such a commanding presence, she doesn’t exactly command a room with her presence. Too often there’s an odd vacancy behind her eyes, and a lack of connection. Something is a bit off.
But those are the kinds of things that get ironed out with experience. She has the credentials: time in Stardom, a big debut, a featured spot in a Clairo music video. It’s only a matter of time before everything comes together and AEW’s women’s division has another star. That time doesn’t start right now.
Prediction: Storm retains
AEW World Champion Jon Moxley defends against Swerve Strickland
Moxley has devolved into something previously unfathomable and uninteresting. Someone proven to be such a magnetic promo and performer throughout his career is now just another generic heel with a propensity for violence. Even the likelihood of that violence isn’t enough to keep things juicy. For months, it has been the same thing on different days. Too many shows end with the Death Riders beating down someone. It’s been an active drag on the main event scene, culminating in a dreadful and disappointing main event at Revolution. What started with so much potential has become nothing but wasted ideas and intentions.
The time has come to return the main event scene to once-realized heights and Strickland is the man to do it.
Go back in time to when Swerve debuted in AEW. Imagine telling someone that this dude will be the biggest star in the company. Bigger than Jon Moxley, Will Ospreay or any other signings brought in with more fanfare. Swerve, however, likely expected this. True greatness often stems from unwavering self-belief. What a remarkable rise it has been. No shortcuts, no flimsy gimmicks required. He presents himself with a naked audacity — daring someone to question his words and actions. But the truth is that everything he says and does is valid. He is as dangerous as he claims and as good as he says. He took a Bryan Danielson-induced detour from the top, but the top is where he belongs. The top is where he’ll be when the lights go off at Dynasty.
Prediction: Swerve wins the title
