What a night for professional wrestling and the premier wrestling destination, AEW. The finishing touches for Sunday’s Dynasty PPV were ironed out on tonight’s Dynamite, and AEW made it known they are not playing second fiddle or passenger princess to anyone, no matter what “season” it is. Tonight, we got the return of Queen Aminata. Did she finally get the gold she deserved, or did Willow Nightingale rack up another W? What is next for Chris Jericho? What is going on with The Don Callis Family? This week’s “go-home” episode of AEW Dynamite, live on TBS and streaming on HBO Max from the legendary Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, answered all these questions and more.
UNITED EMPIRE HAS ARRIVED!!!
Chaos erupted the moment AEW Dynamite went on the air! Will Ospreay was jumped by Jon Moxley and his crew in the loading dock. This triggered a massive war that everyone should have seen coming. The calculated attack quickly turned into a parking lot battle when an SUV arrived carrying Alex Windsor, Callum Newman (IWGP Heavyweight Champion), Henare, and Francesco Akira. United Empire has arrived! The violence spilled from the back to the stage and then to the ring. While the Death Riders regained control in the ring, that was only for a brief moment before the UE put boot to the backside of the Death Riders.
Standing tall over a fallen Moxley, Ospreay revealed he had flown to Japan to ask for a little help from old friends. We finally got a chance to see his protégé, the youngest IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Callum Newman. “The Aerial Assassin” laid out a challenge for a match tonight: United Empire vs. Death Riders. The stage was set for “Chaos in Canada,” and now the power dynamic in AEW has been flipped, but for how long? Is this one night for the UE? Or are they here to stay?
TRIOS ACTION: THE DON CALLIS FAMILY (ANDRADE EL ÍDOLO, MARK DAVIS & KONOSUKE TAKESHITA) VS DARBY ALLIN, JACK PERRY & BANDIDO
The tension within the Don Callis Family almost exploded tonight. To start the match, Andrade El Idolo initially refused to fight, leaving Konosuke Takeshita and Mark Davis to battle an explosive opening assault from Darby Allin, Jack Perry, and Bandido. After Allin verbally called out Andrade for playing games, the “Alpha” of the group took matters into his own hands, leveling Allin with a devastating Chaos Theory suplex down the entrance ramp. The momentum shifted with Andrade finally entering the fight to punish Perry against the barricade, even taking a mid-match selfie with a fan to flaunt his complete control over the National Champ.
The closing stretch turned into pure, high-octane war, highlighted by Bandido’s incredible strength as he military-pressed Takeshita into Davis. However, the Don Callis Family’s raw power and numbers proved insurmountable; Davis and Takeshita effectively removed Allin from the equation by launching him into the timekeeper’s area. Left to fight a three-on-one uphill battle, Perry was eventually caught by a stiff lariat from Davis, setting the stage for Andrade to tag in and deliver a decisive Deadly Nightshade (DM) to secure the victory for his team.
The post-match scene in Edmonton kept the night’s theme going. It turned into a chaotic scene after Andrade El Idolo punctuated his victory with a low blow to Darby Allin. As the Don Callis Family swarmed, The Young Bucks stormed the ring, clearing out everyone with a flurry of superkicks. The tension reached a fever pitch when Kazuchika Okada intervened, leading to a shocking physical confrontation between the Bucks, “The Alpha,” and the “Rainmaker.” The situation further imploded with the arrival of The Rascalz and Myron Reed, leaving everyone in the arena on their feet wanting more.
Winners: The Don Callis Family
DOCTOR’S UPDATE ON KENNY OMEGA
In a critical medical update addressing last week’s events, AEW’s Dr. Michael Sampson went on the record to officially clear Kenny Omega for competition, dismissing MJF’s recent claims. Sampson clarified that while recovery from diverticulitis was a serious process, Omega is currently in the best shape of his career and has received full clearance from both the AEW medical staff and his personal surgeons. This professional endorsement effectively shuts down the World Champion’s narrative that “The Cleaner” has anything but a clean bill of health. This confirms that the main event of AEW Dynasty will feature two competitors at 100% capacity. Or does it?
AEW TBS CHAMPIONSHIP BANGER: WILLOW NIGHTINGALE (c) VS QUEEN AMINATA
Willow Nightingale tried to successfully defend her TBS Championship in a hard-hitting match that saw Queen Aminata nearly pull off a massive upset early with a snap fisherman neckbreaker. The challenger used her hard-hitting style and creative moveset to keep the champion off balance. Momentum shifted when Nightingale connected with a high-impact cannonball senton to the floor. Despite Aminata surviving a Death Valley Driver and landing a vicious diving double stomp, she could not overcome the champion’s power. After a massive Pounce leveled the challenger, Willow sealed the victory with her signature Doctor Bomb to retain the gold.
Winner: And Still TBS Champion Willow Nightingale
LE CHAMPION HOME IN CANADA OR AEW?
Chris Jericho returned to his Alberta roots to officially re-sign with AEW, only to be met by the Baldheaded Assassin Ricochet. Before that, the former AEW World Champion reflected on his 1990 debut in nearby Ponoka and his role as a “Cornerstone” of AEW since 2019. However, the celebratory moment was shattered by The Demand’s leader, who labeled Jericho as a “rusty” part-timer more suited for his cruise ships than the ring. Ricochet claimed credit for AEW’s recent ratings success as the inaugural National Champion and warned the legend to think before signing that contract, before he suffered a career-ending injury in a company that no longer wanted him.
Jericho responded with his legendary wit and a shocking throwback that electrified the Edmonton crowd. “Le Champion” revealed a special contract clause allowing him to hand-pick his opponent for AEW Dynasty this Sunday. Jericho pulled out his pen and announced that Ricochet had officially “made the List”—Jericho, Ricochet, Sunday at Dynasty.
THE DON CALLIS FAMILY FINALLY UNITED?
The Don Callis Family’s internal friction was tested again backstage. Konosuke Takeshita and Kazuchika Okada, despite visibly disliking each other, agreed to team up against The Young Bucks at AEW Dynasty after Callis leveraged Kyle Fletcher’s injury to force a “family first” mentality. The agreement was sweetened with a massive stipulation: if they remain cohesive through Sunday, Takeshita will earn a future AEW International Championship shot against Okada. The brief peace was nearly shattered when “The Rainmaker” called himself Michael Jordan and dismissed “The Alpha” as Scottie Pippen.
WINNER OF THIS MATCH GETS THE #1 SPOT IN THE CASINO GAUNTLET MATCH FOR THE VACANT AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP
MASCARA DORADA VS TOMMASO CIAMPA
In a technical showcase that pushed both competitors to their limits, Tommaso Ciampa tried to secure the coveted #1 entry spot for the AEW TNT Championship Casino Gauntlet match by outlasting the high-flying Mascara Dorada. The contest began as a masterclass in counter-wrestling before exploding into chaos when Dorada connected with a breathtaking Orihara Moonsault off the ring post. Dorada nearly pulled off the win after surviving a devastating Project Ciampa, but the veteran “Sicilian Psychopath” maintained his composure through a series of high-stakes exchanges. In the closing moments, Ciampa countered Dorada’s momentum with his signature Willow’s Bell before sealing the victory with a brutal Knee Trembler, ensuring he will be the first man in the ring this Sunday as he chases the vacant TNT gold.
Winner: Tommaso Ciampa
THE DOGS ARE COMING FOR TRIOS GOLD
The War Dogs issued a backstage beatdown, calling it the “collection of bodies” that already includes Roderick Strong and Orange Cassidy. Turning their attention toward JetSpeed and Mistico, the trio declared that the Conglomeration is done and gold is in their crosshairs. Promising a brutal takeover, The Dogs vowed to hunt down everyone and strip the titles off the Trios Champions. The Dogs as champions…. Sign me up as soon as possible.
AEW WOMEN’S CHAMPION GIVES A WARNING TO JAMIE HAYTER
Backstage, Thekla took shots at Jamie Hayter, delivering a graphic and violent image of what’s to come in their collision at Dynasty. The “Toxic Spider” expressed her frustration with hearing about Hayter’s former championship glory and resilience, calling it sheer stupidity rather than toughness. Claiming she initially targeted Hayter because she was the “easiest” mark, Thekla vowed to end the rivalry once and for all at AEW Dynasty, promising that by the end of the night, Hayter would transition from the “dumbest bitch alive” to the “dumbest bitch dead.”
ADAM COPELAND & CHRISTIAN CAGE HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY
Adam Copeland and Christian Cage addressed FTR in Edmonton, with Copeland dismissing his former protégés as “glorified henchmen” who simply couldn’t reach his level. The verbal assault got personal when Cage claimed to have “visited” the mothers of FTR, but the psychological warfare was cut short by a brutal ambush from Roppongi Vice and FTR. The numbers game proved too much for the veterans, as Rocky Romero leveled Copeland with a steel chair before Stokely Hathaway hit the ugliest spear I have ever witnessed on Christian. The assault ended with FTR smashing Christian’s hand and wrist, leaving the legendary duo decimated just days before their AEW World Tag Team Championship clash at Dynasty.
UNITED EMPIRE VS THE DEATH RIDERS
The main event of AEW Dynamite was the highlight of the night. It turned into absolute carnage as the United Empire and Death Riders went at it in a “Chaos in Canada” war that touched almost the entire arena. The violence peaked when Claudio Castagnoli showcased his superhuman strength, marching Henare around ringside before suplexing him through a table. But the United Empire refused to stay down, responding with a series of high-risk maneuvers, including a terrifying spear off the steel steps by Henare and a brutal, repeated assault on Daniel Garcia that saw him powerbombed into an unbreakable (seemed that way at least) table.
The closing moments saw the bitter rivalry between Will Ospreay and Jon Moxley as the two icons traded heavy fire in the center of the ring. Moxley appeared to have the match won after spiking Ospreay with three consecutive Paradigm Shifts, but the IWGP Champ proved to be the equalizer once again. Callum Newman intercepted a fourth attempt with a stiff lariat, providing the opening for Ospreay to launch a Hidden Blade that sent Moxley crashing through a table. With the pinfall secured, the United Empire stood tall over the broken champion and his stable, sending a definitive message to the Death Riders and Mox just days before AEW Dynasty.
Winners: United Empire
KENNY OMEGA SENDS FINAL MESSAGE TO MJF
In a final showdown, Kenny Omega combined a 25-year homecoming story with a mission statement for AEW Dynasty. Omega brushed off MJF’s recent words regarding his health as “boring,” pivoting instead to his role as a “God of Pro Wrestling” and promising to “fix” the prestige of the World Title that he believes the champion has broken. Meanwhile, MJF pushed the notion of playing “The Devil” to Omega’s “God” role. Omega goaded MJF into shaking his hand, and when MJF attempted a predictable cheap shot, the challenger countered with a beautiful yet brutal knee. When the champ was nearly knocked out, Omega took the Dynamite Diamond Ring from MJF, slid the jewelry onto his own finger, and delivered his signature “goodbye and goodnight.” Omega stood tall heading into Sunday’s championship clash.
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