A Handy Guide To: AEW WrestleDream 2026

Need to know when and where to watch an upcoming PPV? Need to know who’s fighting who? Need to know why you should care? Then, you’ve come to the right place!

“A Handy Guide” is a series on Dirt Sheet Radio where I run down an upcoming pay-per-view, and discuss the competitors and stories going into each match. For now, the focus is going to be on WWE and AEW, but if there’s interest, we may expand to companies like TNA, NJPW, and more. Additionally, I also give my picks for the SLEEPER HIT, the match that I think will over-deliver or be under-appreciated, and my MATCH OF THE NIGHT (self-explanatory).

Today’s edition is all about AEW WrestleDream 2026 taking place on Saturday, October 17th, at the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida. This event is an homage to the legendary Antonio Inoki, founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling, and someone that AEW owner Tony Khan called “wrestling’s greatest dreamer”. This will be the fourth annual production of WrestleDream and the third time AEW has held a PPV at this venue, the last time was Worlds End in 2024. 

The PPV will air at 4pm PT/7pm ET on major cable and satellite providers in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. U.S. and Canadian viewers can stream the event on YouTube, Prime Video, and DAZN. Additionally, U.S. fans can also stream it on HBO Max or catch it at select Dave & Buster locations nationwide. International viewers can view the event on PPV.com or MyAEW.com. 

This article does not cover any of the Buy-In (pre-show) matches, and as always the card is subject to change. But for now, these are the matches, and these are the stories: 

Thekla vs. Mercedes Moné—

Women’s World Championship Match

When Thekla returned to AEW at All In, she made it her mission to snatch the Women’s World Championship away from whoever held it. As fate would have it, Mercedes would be the one holding it high at the end of that night. The two went back-and-forth on the mic over the next couple of weeks, their egos clashing and their arrogance manifesting a potential match for All Out. However, Moné sustained a broken nose during her bout against Willow Nightingale, and instead we were treated to a number one contender’s match at All Out between Willow and Thekla. During that match, Thekla took advantage of Willow’s broken hand and picked up the victory, and afterwards, Mercedes appeared on the ramp to taunt the new number one contender. 

So far, it’s been a torrent of taunts war of words between The Toxic Spider and Big D Moné (I’m on board with this nickname, don’t @ me). Each verbal spar was more heated than the last, and they finally collided at Grand Slam France after Mercedes successfully defended her championship against Queen Aminata. Thekla interrupted Mercedes’s victory much like the champ did at Chicago, hit her with an emphatic spear, and swung Mercedes’s championship between her legs with more, uh, emphasis. 

I am thoroughly entertained by both these wrestlers. Thekla’s “drunk aunt at the family reunion” vibe that she brings to the function is a fun heat against Mercedes’s cocky superstar persona. Plus, their technical wrestling abilities are bound to mesh well with each other. I want Mercedes to have a dominant run with the championship, but Thekla is also such a fantastic foil for her challengers when she has the belt. No matter who wins, I hope this is the start of a star-making feud for the both of them. 

The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson/Nick Jackson) vs. The Don Callis Family (Kevin Knight/Kyle Fletcher)— Men’s Tag Team Championship Match

This is a match unfortunately born out of some controversy. At All In, Kevin Knight and Kyle Fletcher were involved in a grudge match between Darby Allin and the newly-debuted Steven Borden. The son of Sting was working his ass off to prove he belonged in the ring, and he took a big risk by intercepting Knight off the top rope with a coast-to-coast dropkick. Borden landed awkwardly, hitting his head on the canvas, and the match was immediately stopped. It was later reported that Borden had concussion symptoms, but he was otherwise feeling good and didn’t have any lingering headaches. However, their match was to crown a new number one contender for the tag titles, and with one team now out of commission, that left Don Callis’s golden boys with a golden opportunity.

On that same night, The Young Bucks won a wild three-way ladder match to become the AEW Tag Team Champions for a record fourth time. With two of their key challengers dealt with (for now), The Young Bucks could set their focus on Knight and Fletcher. Despite not being as time-tested as the literal brothers, Knight and Fletcher do hold a victory over the new champs. They’re also great wrestlers in their own right, with The Jet holding the record for the most successful TNT Championship defenses in a single reign, and The Protostar being a former Trios, TNT, and International Champion. 

The Young Bucks have a long, tumultuous history with Don Callis and his boys. It must be a little cathartic to have their first title defense be against two of the biggest egos in the DCF (which is saying something). Though, they underestimate the singles stars at their own peril. 

Mark Davis vs. Jon Moxley—

Continental Championship Match

It's been a hard few weeks for the Death Riders. PAC’s untimely passing left the group shell-shocked, and though the grieving certainly isn’t over, time goes on. Wrestling goes on. A beautiful tribute episode of Dynamite was held in PAC’s honor on September 30th, and the Death Riders were center-stage for most of the night. On this night, we saw Marina Shafir defeat former women’s champion Britt Baker with The Brutalizer, Moxley defend his Continental Championship against PAC’s long-time rival, Orange Cassidy, and Bryan Danielson bury the hatchet with the faction and join them in the ten-man tag main event. 

The Death Rider’s opponents in that main event were the beefiest members of Don Callis’s never-ending family: Jake Doyle, Josh Alexander, Lance Archer, a returning Wardlow, and Mark Davis. It was cathartic seeing The Death Riders pick up the win, but their business wasn’t finished with the DCF. A week later, Moxley teamed with Gabe Kidd to take on Davis and Doyle, and surprisingly, the big bruisers were able to get the win. Now, riding the momentum from his victory, Mark Davis has called out the Continental Champion for WrestleDream. 

It wasn’t too long ago that Mark Davis held singles gold, becoming just the third man to hold the National Championship before dropping it to Andrade at All In. He poses a credible threat to anyone, but Moxley isn’t just anyone. He’s a four-time AEW World Champion, the All Elite Ace (in my humble opinion), and arguably the most dominant Continental Champion so far. Davis has his work cut out for him in Orlando, though he does boast two victories over the Death Riders (including a pinfall victory on the champ!), so maybe it’s Mox that needs to watch his back. This is my pick for the night’s SLEEPER HIT. I think it’ll be a cathartic “reset” for Moxley and the Death Riders, and I think Mark Davis will bring his best against the Continental Champion.

Andrade El Ídolo vs. Tommaso Ciampa— National Championship Match

Tommaso Ciampa won the TNT Championship on his very first night in AEW, and that set him on a specific trajectory involving championship gold at any cost. Though, if you followed him during his NXT days when he clutched the NXT Championship and called it “Goldie”, you’d know this is a consistent character trait of his.

Ciampa made it clear that his quest for gold was not stopping, and was in fact continuing against the National Champion. In Paris, Ciampa planted a kiss on Andrade’s cheek, and then planted the champ onto his own title with a DDT. At this week’s Dynamite, Ciampa actually secured a victory against Andrade in a tag match and then planted the National Championship on the champ’s chest. Andrade has yet to get a proper leg up on the Psycho Killer, but you underestimate the National Champion at your own peril. Past the selfies with beautiful ladies and the tantalizing mid-match pants removals, Andrade remains a successful fighting champion. Over the past three months, he’s defended it six times, most recently against former RevPro Heavyweight Champion, Michael Oku. At WrestleDream, Ciampa looks to render Andrade unconscious, Andrade looks to make Ciampa lucky number seven, and we get to see who comes out on top.

Swerve Strickland and The New Level (Kofi/Austin Creed) vs. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (Hangman Page/Brody King/Bandido) —

Two out of Three Falls Match for the Trios Championship

It’s been three weeks since Swerve Strickland and The New Level successfully defended their Trios Championships against Hangman and Brodido. The animosity between these two teams— and specifically Hangman and Swerve— has not gotten any better. Ever since Swerve returned and immediately got into his old rival’s business, it has threatened to bring Hangman back to a darker, more unfocused place. That’s why they lost the Trios championships in the first place, and that’s why they lost the rematch for them at All Out. Though, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention they may have won if Swerve hadn’t gotten Creed in the way of a Buckshot Lariat. 

Hangman and Brodido have one final shot at the Trios Championships, and maybe that’s for the best. Hangman and Swerve always bring out the worst in each other, and Brodido and The New Level have other teams they need to prove themselves against. Their final confrontation is a two out of three falls match, ensuring a definitive victor in this rivalry. Neither team will make it out of the ring until they can keep the other down for a count of six (cause that’s how math works). There’s levels to this rivalry (all puns intended), and most of them are personal. But above all else, both teams are looking to prove that they are the greatest trio in AEW, and at WrestleDream we find out who really deserves that accolade.

Dani Luna vs. Hyan vs. Queen Aminata vs. Persephone—

TBS Championship Match

A match built off a champion’s hubris. Ever since Persephone won the TBS Championship at All In, she has made a total of one ally and a great number of enemies. Hyan is the best friend and tag partner of the former champion, Maya World, who suffered an injury during her match with Persephone. Hyan came close to defeating Persephone for the TBS Championship, but Persephone used the ropes to help her retain. Dani Luna made her AEW debut at All Out by answering Persephone’s open challenge, and she too may have won the TBS Championship if it wasn’t for Britt Baker’s interference. Queen Aminata just plain doesn’t like Persephone and placed herself in contendership by coming to Luna and Hyan’s aid after their tag match against Persephone and Britt Baker. 

With three possible contenders with bones to pick against the champs— and Britt Baker continuing to be a factor in Persephone’s matches— the decision was made to give them all a championship match at WrestleDream. The odds are thoroughly stacked for Perse Dos Straps in Florida.

(Chris) Jericho vs. Nick Wayne

It was only a matter of time until this feud reached a pay-per-view. Chris Jericho and Nick Wayne had their first encounter at the Casino Battle Royale at All In. Nick Wayne’s cockiness amused Jericho, but he was much less amused when Wayne cost Jericho a future world championship shot by getting pinned by Andrade. Next week, on Dynamite, Jericho told Wayne that he still had a lot to learn and would gladly teach him a thing or two. And he could start by getting rid of the puka shell necklace. Wayne took offense to those words because it discredited everything he’d already accomplished before and during his AEW tenure. He’s a second-generation wrestler, a former ROH Television Champion, and a successful participant of NJPW’s Battle of the Super Juniors tournament. Plus, puka shell necklaces are cool (they’re not, especially on white guys sorry not sorry). 

The two faced off in September, and when Wayne’s necklace broke, Jericho rolled him up for a pinfall victory. Then, at Grand Slam France, Nick used a low blow to defeat Jericho and held a pompous victory celebration a week later. Now, Jericho just kind of wants to beat up Wayne, get his win back, and teach him a lesson or two. Wayne agreed to the rubber match on the condition that Jericho must apologize for disrespecting him if he loses. Whether that happens remains to be seen. 

Clockwork Carnage Match for the Men’s World Championship

Violence, chaos, and a wonderful excuse to showcase a talent of riches; Clockwork Carnage is tailor made for AEW’s brand of wrestling. It’s also why this is my easy pick for MATCH OF THE NIGHT. The brainchild of Will Ospreay himself, Clockwork Carnage was first used in Pro Wrestling Eve and is now all elite. 

The concept is a twisted love child of a gauntlet and iron man, and the rules for it are as follows: 

Ospreay is putting his world championship on the line in this match, and he can lose it without getting pinned. The eight men that qualified for this match are a who’s who of AEW, all with legit claims to the throne. Let’s look at the contenders and how they made their way into Clockwork Carnage. 

Samoa Joe

After spending some time away in Hollywood, the leader of The Opps returned at All Out, responding to Jack Perry’s goading with a headbutt. Then, he defeated Jack Perry to become the very first man to enter this match. This has given him a chance to rest up and watch the other competitors claw their way onto the mountain. Joe is one of the most dangerous men in this match. He’s a two-time AEW World Champion and only needs to catch you lacking for a second to lock in the Coquina Clutch and choke you out. If Joe has his way, he can choke everyone out before the match even reaches the second stage.

Will Ospreay

Despite being the champion, he was actually the second man to qualify for the match he created, because he needed to get past Kazuchika Okada first. Ospreay created and petitioned for this match, which is either very brave or very stupid. He’s going to have to be on alert the entirety of both phases if he wants to escape Florida with his championship. Though, if anyone can do it, it’s the Aerial Assassin. 

“Speedball” Mike Bailey

At France, Bailey defeated Lee Moriarty to become the third man to qualify for Clockwork Carnage despite being a part of Ospreay’s United Empire. Ospreay wanted the best for this match and he wanted the best for his faction, so Bailey’s placement in both makes sense. He has the stamina to go the distance in this match, and his devastating kicks make him a threat at all times. Ospreay and everyone else best watch their backs, and fronts, and heads.    

Adam Copeland

Earlier this week on Dynamite, Adam Copeland defeated Josh Alexander to become the fourth man to qualify for Clockwork Carnage. Right after the match, he announced that 2027 would be his final year in professional wrestling. He wants to start his retirement tour on top, securing another world championship in his already full trophy room. The Ultimate Opportunist is a former Money in the Bank, Championship Scramble, and Royal Rumble winner. If there’s anyone that’s equipped to survive multi-man madness, it’s him.  

Konosuke Takeshita

After coming to Copeland’s aid against the Don Callis Family, Takeshita found himself already in the ring with his opponent for his qualifying match: Brian Cage. Takeshita overcame the brick shithouse of the DCF and became the fourth man to qualify for Clockwork Carnage. The former International Champion looks to finally become the World Champion, and he will knee anyone in the head in order to get there.

Kazuchika Okada

The Rainmaker received a second chance to qualify for this match against Myron Reed, and he made the most of that opportunity. His victory over Reed meant he not only defended his International Championship, but it ensured he could get revenge against Ospreay for defeating him in Paris. Okada is the only hope for the DCF to secure the World Championship in this match, and he’s going to have to go through some old rivals to get it.

Ricochet

The first man of The Demand punched his ticket to this match by defeating Ace Austin. Ricochet is a wild card in this match, his high-flying ability and opportunistic nature means he can play spoiler to anyone. Especially the champion. Look for him to sneak some pins and smack people in the head with his forearm when they aren’t expecting it.

Darby Allin

The final man to qualify for Clockwork Carnage is the current TNT Champion. Just like Okada, Darby put his own championship on the line against Hechicero in order to punch his ticket to WrestleDream. Now, Darby looks to not only become a double champion, but to also win back the World Championship he lost this summer.

Other Important Things

- A match for the Women’s World Tag Team Championship was scheduled for WrestleDream between Wrathlander (Kris Statlander/Harley Cameron) and the Brawling Birds (Jamie Hayter/Alex Windsor). However, Jamie Hayter is not medically cleared for the event due to a lingering issue from their street fight at All Out. Therefore, the championship match is postponed.

- At this week’s Collision, a mysterious vignette was played that included a conductor, classical music, and some dude in a nice suit. People have speculated this could be a debut video for Ilja Dragunov. I, too, think this is a debut video for Ilja Dragunov because I am very smart. But what do you think, reader? 

- On Dynamite, FTR claimed they should be the number one contenders because they’re 3-2 in their series against the Young Bucks. The Motor City Machine Guns interrupted them, stating that it’s time for them to become the contenders for the tag team championship. So, a challenge was set for a Best of Five series between both teams. The first match in that series happens before WrestleDream at the Tailgate Brawl (the pre-show). 

- The Continental Classic starts next month, which is AEW’s annual round-robin tournament for the Continental Championship. Be on the lookout for an announcement about that during the PPV, and be prepared for a month or so of the best wrestling you’ve seen all year.

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Jhuvin P. is a writer for CBC/DSR. He has previous experience as a ghostwriter, has published several short stories, and is perpetually working on a novel. In addition to writing, he is also a comedian based out of Colorado Springs. He posts clips of his stand-up along with his other goofy antics on TikTok and Instagram. 

A Handy Guide To: AEW All Out 2026

Need to know when and where to watch an upcoming PPV? Need to know who’s fighting who? Need to know why you should care? Then, you’ve come to the right place!

“A Handy Guide” is a series on Dirt Sheet Radio where I run down an upcoming pay-per-view, and discuss the competitors and stories going into each match. For now, the focus is going to be on WWE and AEW, but if there’s interest, we may expand to companies like TNA, NJPW, and more. Additionally, I also give my picks for the sleeper hit, the match that I think will over-deliver or be under-appreciated, and my fairly self-explanatory match of the night.

Today’s edition is all about AEW All Out 2026— the company’s longest-running pay-per-view— taking place on Saturday, September 26th, at Now Arena in Chicago, Illinois. This will mark AEW’s first appearance in Chicago this year, and All Out’s return to the Windy City. All Out is to AEW what Backlash is to WWE, it’s a display of consequences from the company’s biggest show of the year. It marks a reset for some wrestlers and a new chapter for others. Over the years, it has been home to some of AEW’s most memorable such as the Chicago Street Fight between Willow and Statlander, the Lights Out Steel Cage Match between Swerve and Hangman (yikes), the debut of CJ Perry (yikes but in a different font), and of course the crowning of the inaugural AEW World Champion. 

The PPV will air at 4pm PT/7pm ET on major cable and satellite providers in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. U.S. and Canadian viewers can stream the event on YouTube, Prime Video, and DAZN. Additionally, U.S. fans can also stream it on HBO Max or catch it at select Dave & Buster locations nationwide. International viewers can view the event on PPV.com or MyAEW.com. 

This article does not cover any of the Buy-In (pre-show) matches, and as always the card is subject to change. But for now, these are the matches, and these are the stories: 

Kazuchika Okada vs. Tommaso Ciampa— International Championship Match

Given their career trajectories, you’d be forgiven for thinking this match could never happen. While Okada was the poster boy for New Japan and having seven-star matches with Kenny Omega, Ciampa was becoming the most despicable heel in NXT and putting on one of the brand’s first five-star matches with Johnny Gargano. During COVID, Okada was dealing with Ospreay’s defection from CHAOS, and Ciampa was teaming with Timothy Thatcher and trying to wrestle the UK Championship from WALTER (now Gunther). When Okada signed with AEW in 2024, it seemed like this match would definitely never happen because Ciampa was busy reforming #DIY with Gargano and winning the WWE Tag Team Championship. 

However, on January 28th, 2026, Ciampa made his AEW debut— a week after announcing his departure from WWE— and that forbidden door was busted wide open once again. 

Fast forward eight months later. Okada has allied himself with The Don Callis Family, sowed seeds of discord with Fletcher and Takeshita, and won the International Championship from the former. Ciampa already has one TNT Championship reign to his name and recently settled a blood feud with Chris Jericho. Hungry for gold and hungrier for competition, Ciampa calls out the new International Champion. Okada, of course, calls him a “bitch”, and Ciampa responds in kind. No more jokes and no more smiling. The Psycho Killer wants The Rainmaker at All Out, and he just might get him. Given all that, I’m calling this match the sleeper hit of the pay-per-view. The match to really look out for to steal the show.  

Andrade El Idolo vs. PAC— National Championship Match

To maybe no one’s surprise, Andrade El Idolo defeated Mark Davis at All In, winning the AEW National Championship and a cathartic ridding of The Don Callis Family from his life. Now, he finds himself in the crosshairs of a different, much more violent faction. The Death Riders have not taken kindly to Andrade’s arrogance and in-ring antics. Taking selfies with beautiful women, removing your pants, and posing in between the ropes are behaviors unbecoming of a professional wrestler. The Death Riders need to teach him a lesson, and The Bastard looks to be the guy who will do just that.

PAC has been a mainstay of the Death Riders since they were still known as the Blackpool Combat Club. The grumpy Englishman terrorizes opponents with his hard kicks and deceptive strength. Though he’s a smooth and graceful high-flyer, he often finishes matches with a tight double underhook crossface aptly called “The Brutalizer”. In Moxley’s gang, he plays the enforcer role well, often ending fights rather than starting them. That isn’t to say, however, that he doesn’t pick fights of his own. 

After successfully defending his championship against Daniel Garcia, Andrade was jumped by the rest of the riders (sans Mox and, technically, Kemalito) An irate PAC touted his former victory against the National Champion and vowed to do it again in Chicago. Before Andrade could respond, PAC kicked him in the head and left him laying in the ring. This will be a brutal exhibition. How I know?? Because Andrade and PAC are technically sound wrestlers, and their styles mesh well with each other. Expect to be entertained and wowed way before Andrade even takes his pants off.

Swerve Strickland and The New Level (Kofi/Austin Creed) vs. The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (Hangman Page/Brody King/Bandido) — Trios Championship Match

Last month at All In, Austin Creed (formerly Xavier Woods) and Kofi (formerly Kingston) made their not-so-surprise AEW debut as The New Level. They became the new Trios champions with Swerve Strickland, and also secured the second catchiest theme music in AEW. First place is Orange Cassidy’s theme no I will not be taking any questions. The New Level have quickly ingratiated themselves to the AEW fans, showing off how they haven’t lost a step and why they were two-thirds of the subjectively greatest trio in WWE history. After being criminally underutilized in the latter days of their WWE tenure and then reportedly being asked to take a 50% pay cut, it was refreshing to see them win gold on their first day in AEW. 

Unfortunately, they had to step on many toes on the way to doing so. Even more unfortunate, those toes belonged to the last three Trios champions. The Conglomeration held the Trios championships for a substantial amount of time until a timely intervention by The Lethal Twist (Jay Lethal/Blake Christian/Lee Moriarty) caused them to lose the titles to The Demand. Ricochet and his guys could only celebrate being champions for a week before they also lost the titles to the makeshift team of Hangman and Brodido. Less than a month later, they, too, would lose the titles in that tumultuous Roulette Royale at All In. With so many teams holding valid claims for the championship, Tony Khan pitted them against each other. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly defeated The Conglomeration, and Swerve and The New Level defeated The Demand, setting us up with this great Trios Championship match at All Out.

Who knows how long Swerve will stay allied to Kofi and Creed, and the same can be said for Page and Brodido. Regardless, both teams have great chemistry with each other and against their All Out opponents. Expect another stand-out performance by The New Level, fun shenanigans by Brodido, and palpable tension between Swerve and Hangman. 

TBS Championship Open Challenge

They don’t ask how you won, they only ask who won. At All In, Persephone defeated Maya World for the TBS Championship, but her victory comes with a big asterisk. An asterisk named Britt Baker. The Doctor returned in London and interfered in the TBS Championship match, securing the victory for and allying with Persephone. That isn’t to say that Persephone wouldn’t have won without Britt’s help, because she absolutely could have.

At just fifteen years old, Persephone started her wrestling journey in her hometown of El Paso, Texas. She’s powerful and charismatic, and just a few years into her career, she was picked up by CMLL where she garnered international attention. So much so that at Forbidden Door 2025, she was invited to compete in a four-way match for the TBS Championship. In the match, she came close on multiple occasions to winning the title off then champion Mercedes Moné, and AEW took notice.

Over the next year, she worked primarily in CMLL while making sporadic appearances in AEW until she officially signed with the latter in January 2026. Now, she reigns as not only the TBS Champion, but also as the CMLL Women’s World Champion (who she fittingly took off of Mercedes Moné). Perse Dos Straps has already retained her championship against Vertvixen and Hyan, now she’s going to Chicago to take on anyone else that dares to step in the ring with her.

Cage and Cope vs. FTR vs. The Young Bucks— Ladder Match for Men’s Tag Team Championship

At All In, Christian Cage used a screwdriver to help his team retain their championships against the Young Bucks. This complicated the tag team contender scene. After the match, FTR made their return to stare down Cage and Cope, the men who beat them for the titles. This complicated the scene even more. In order to un-complicate things, Adam Copeland laid down a monumental challenge for All Out: a three-way ladder match involving all three of these teams. For copyright reasons, AEW can’t call this a TLC match, but we all know in our hearts that this is what it’s going to be. 

There’s a lot of history between these six men going into the match. Cage and Cope, respected symbols of a bygone era, have to prove that they can hang with two of the best tag teams today in a match they made famous. They’ve made FTR say “I Quit” and they survived against the Young Bucks, but can they outlast both teams at the same time? FTR are 3-2 against the Young Bucks two-on-two, but they’re 1-2 against Cage and Cope. However, they’re the freshest out of all three teams, which could give them the edge in this ladder match. The Young Bucks also excel in ladder matches and can be just as opportunistic as FTR and the Attitude Era legends. 

There’s not much else to say about this match. TLC matches are car crashes in the best kind of way, and the six men involved are all prolific in their own rights. Expect a symphony of con-chair-tos, lots of broken wood, and high-dives that’ll make your palms sweat like crazy.

The Brawling Birds (Jamie Hayter/Alex Windsor) vs. Divine Dominion (Lena Kross/Megan Bayne)— Chicago Street Fight for Women’s Tag Team Championship

My goodness, do these ladies despise each other. At All In, these two undefeated tag teams went head-to-head for the very first time. All four women had something to prove and they couldn’t stand how much the other team was bragging about their successes. After weeks of blindsided attacks and brutal exchanges of words, things finally came to a head in London, and the Brawling Birds came out on top. No one expected Divine Dominion to take this defeat lying down, much less the new women’s tag champs. So, the rematch was set for All Out. 

This will not be just any match, though, this is going to be a Chicago Street Fight. These four women are no strangers to weaponized brawls. Last year, Megan Bayne won a hard-hitting, No DQ match with Penelope Ford against Anna Jay and Harley Cameron, and she was also in the first women’s Blood and Guts match opposite Jamie Hayter. Lena Kross helped defend the tag team championships in a bloody No DQ match against the Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart/Skye Blue). And speaking of No DQ, Alex Windsor made a name for herself with some excellent no disqualification matches in RevPro and Pro Wrestling Eve. In an already violent-looking card, this match had the chance to fly under the radar, but I believe these two teams will bring the violence too. 

Willow Nightingale vs. Thekla— #1 Contenders Match for Women’s World Championship

On the same night that Mercedes Moné defeated Willow Nightingale for the Women’s World Championship, Thekla stood on top of the Buy-In panel’s table and declared her intentions to get back said championship. In one night, we had two strong contenders for Moné’s championship, and all three women were on a collision course for All Out. Would Willow attempt to play spoiler on yet another Moné reign? Would Thekla’s massive ego attempt to eclipse Mercedes’s? Or would we get a styles-clashing three-way dance in Chicago? The possibilities— all three of them— were endless!

And then Mercedes was diagnosed with a broken nose and wasn’t cleared for this month’s PPV. 

In the business, we call this scenario a “real bummer”. However, the back-up plan is anything but. In a rematch from Redemption, the former champion, Willow, will face off against the woman she beat to become the champion, Thekla. The winner goes on to Wrestledream in October to face Mercedes Moné for the women’s championship. 

Willow is nursing a legitimate broken left hand going into the match, but she’s not counting herself out and neither should you. The Babe With The Power(bomb) knows what it’s like to get sidelined and relinquish a championship due to injury, she is refusing to let that happen again. On the other hand (no pun intended), The Toxic Spider is looking to rewrite history, avenge her loss from Redemption, and reclaim her place at the top of the women’s division. She has no love for Willow— and vice versa— and will look to exploit every weakness she can in order to get her title back. 

This is not a detour, this is a delight. Willow and Thekla had a great match at Redemption, and their contrasting personalities have made for great television over the past month. The winner, no matter who it is, will be a more than worthy contender for Mercedes’s championship. And no doubt the champ herself will be on hand to watch this match closely. 

Darby Allin/Steven Borden vs. Don Callis Family (Kevin Knight/Kyle Fletcher)— #1 Contender’s Match for Men’s Tag Team Championship

On March 3rd, 2024— two years ago— Sting wrestled his final match, defending his and Darby Allin’s tag team championships against The Young Bucks. During that match, we saw Darby fall twenty feet onto a sheet of glass, The Young Bucks superkick Ric Flair out of AEW, and Sting call on two special guests: his sons. Steven and Garrett Borden accompanied their father to the ring, decked out in his Wolfpac and Surfer costumes respectively. They also got physical during the match, taking bumps and breaking out Stinger Splashes that turned some heads. Could Garrett and Steven carry on their father’s legacy? Or, better yet, could they carve their own legacies in the wrestling ring? Well, at All Out, Steven gets his first shot.

Steven’s career trajectory has been fittingly catalytic as well. Not to brag, but I was able to see Steven wrestle in a dark match before Collision. During the match, my friends and I joked that this was akin to seeing pre-jorts John Cena answering Kurt Angle’s open challenge. Fast forward to six weeks later, and Steven has made his official AEW debut, allied with his father’s protégé, Darby Allin, and dived feet first into a feud with the Don Callis Family. Sheesh, I wish my first two months at any job were this eventful. 

Don Callis has major beef with Steven after the potential prodigy rebuffed an invitation to join the family. Steven also aided Darby in taking the TNT Championship off of Kevin Knight, which made him even less popular with the family. Don has now sicced Knight onto Steven and Darby, and has Kyle Fletcher aiding and tagging with Knight. Though, that might also be to distract The Protostar from dwelling too much on being defeated by Okada and losing his International Championship. Begrudgingly, Knight and Fletcher make a decent enough team, and they hold a tag team victory over the Young Bucks. They’re carrying that momentum into All Out to take down Darby and Steven, and get another chance at championship gold in the process. 

Darby’s involvement in this feud is a no-brainer. Sting penned him as his mentee on the icon’s very first night in AEW, and their careers are forever intertwined. Taking the Borden legacy under his wing is more than just a favor for Darby, it’s a duty. He wants Steven to succeed just as much as Sting helped him succeed. If his second reign as a tag team champion can be with the scorpion’s son, then that’ll make this match Saturday that much sweeter. Plus, it means he gets to beat Kevin Knight again. 

Steven said he hesitated joining the wrestling business because he didn’t want to live in his dad’s shadow. At All Out, he takes a definitive step out of it, but will it end with defeat at the hands of the Don Callis Family? Or will it catalyze into championship gold? 

Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley— Men’s World Championship Match

At All In, Will Ospreay had a simple yet poetic walk-out for the main event. Accompanied by his United Empire stablemates and Baba O’Riley by The Who, Ospreay walked through the backstage area and encountered figures in his career that have defined his journey. People like Michael Oku, Swerve Strickland, Mark Davis, Kyle Fletcher, and his wife, Alex Windsor. Right as he got to the apron, he was stopped by Jon Moxley, the final craftsman that molded Ospreay into the man he was today. Moxley handed him the Union Jack, and nodded with begrudging acceptance before walking away. As Ospreay looked back at Mox, you could tell things weren’t over between them. 

Three days later, after the main event of Dynamite, Gabe Kidd sought to take revenge on Ospreay and company for beating him and his team. But Moxley and the Death Riders showed up, and Mox got in the way of Kidd before could lay Ospreay out with a steel chair. Then, as Moxley handed Ospreay his title back, and the two had an intense stare down, a graphic appeared on the big screen: Moxley vs. Ospreay for the Men’s World Championship at All Out. 

If you’ve been following AEW for the past few months, you know of the history between these two men. Ospreay sought the guidance of Mox and the Death Riders to gain a killer edge, the ability to “pull the trigger”. Ospreay proved himself to the Death Riders and they aided him in winning the Men’s Owen Hart Tournament. However, when Mox tried to suffocate Omega with a plastic bag at Redemption, Ospreay intervened and ended his partnership with the Death Riders. No one expected to see the two side-by-side again, though we expected them to inevitably come face-to-face. 

Ospreay revealed that he was the one that asked for this match, he wanted his first championship defense to be against the man that helped him win it. The Ace of AEW, the man who has won every singles championship a man can hold in the company— including the world championship four times. Moxley has made it clear that he never expected to be given this match, but he knew it was an inevitability. He wanted Ospreay to be a leader but he can sense the doubts, and he wonders if Ospreay even feels like a champion. Mox may not be his teacher anymore, but he’s still giving Ospreay his first test. 

If you can’t tell by now, this is my pick for match of the night. Save for Darby tagging with Sting’s son, this match has the strongest story threads, and I’m a sucker for a good story in my wrestling. It’s one thing to win the championship, it’s another thing to hold it. I can’t wait to see how Ospreay responds to the pressure, and how Moxley responds to Ospreay.

Other Things To Look Out For

- Ilja Dragunov is reportedly heading to AEW after dealing with visa issues. Could All Out be the introduction to Unbesiegbar? And if so, where do you see him fit best in the current roster? Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing him confront the National or International champion at the end of their respective matches. 

- Andrade won the Casino Battle Royale at All In and has also allied himself with the world champion (possibly in a bid to be part of Ospreay’s United Empire?). He still holds his guaranteed title shot and has yet to make it known when he’ll cash it in. Regardless, he’ll likely be watching the main event closely.

- I just…really think Steven’s gonna turn on Darby. I have no basis for this other than a gut feeling. If it happens, it’s definitely a big departure out of the shadow of his dad (infamously the target of heel turns from many trusted partners), but it also feels too easy. And if it means he joins the overbloated Don Callis Family, then I want this even less. But that’s just the mark in me talking.

- Jack Perry recently called out Samoa Joe, daring him to come back to AEW and fight him. It's a bold move— kind of a stupid move, but bold nonetheless. He will be wrestling Katsuyori Shibata— a member of Samoa Joe’s group, The Opps— on the pre-show. This should be a good match in its own right, but maybe we also see an appearance from the former AEW World champion to answer Perry’s challenge.

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Jhuvin P. is a writer for CBC/DSR. He has previous experience as a ghostwriter, has published several short stories, and is perpetually working on a novel. In addition to writing, he is also a comedian based out of Colorado Springs. He posts clips of his stand-up along with his other goofy antics on TikTok and Instagram. 

A Handy Guide To: AEW All In 2026

Need to know when and where to watch an upcoming pay-per-view? Need to know who’s fighting who? Need to know why you should care? Then, you’ve come to the right place!

“A Handy Guide” is a new series here on Dirt Sheet Radio where we run down an upcoming pay-per-view’s match card, and discuss the competitors and stories coming into each match. For now, our focus is going to be on WWE and AEW, but if there’s interest, we may expand to companies like TNA, NJPW, and more.

Today’s edition is all about AEW All In 2026, taking place on Sunday, August 30th, at Wembley Stadium in London, England. This is the third time All In has taken place at Wembley and the fourth iteration of this event (fifth, if you count the inaugural pre-AEW event held in 2018). It is AEW’s biggest yearly pay-per-view, their own Wrestlemania, Wrestle Kingdom, Starrcade, Bound For Glory, or Ultima Lucha (shout-out to Lucha Underground). 

Because this PPV takes place in the UK, it will be an early start time for US viewers. 
These are the start times for the following time zones. 

United Kingdom (BST): 4:30 PM
Eastern Time (ET): 11:30 AM (Pre-show) / 1:00 PM (Main card)
Pacific Time (PT): 8:30 AM (Pre-show) / 10:00 AM (Main card)

The PPV will air on major cable and satellite providers in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. U.S. and Canadian viewers can stream the event on YouTube, Prime Video, and DAZN. Additionally, U.S. fans can also stream it on HBO Max or catch it at select Dave & Buster locations nationwide. International viewers can view the event on PPV.com or MyAEW.com. 

This article does not cover any of the Buy-In (pre-show) matches, and as always the card is subject to change. But for now, these are the matches, and these are the stories:

Trios Roulette Royale (Buy-In Match)

Okay, so normally, I don’t cover preshow matches in my guide, but I’m going to make an exception due to who’s involved in this. When Hangman Page lost his World Championship rematch against MJF, it meant he could never challenge for that title ever again. When he returned a few months later, he vowed to be a man of his word, but that left him directionless. A ship without a harbor, a horse without a rider, a hangman with nothing to hang. Alright, the metaphor needs work, but you get what I mean. He offered his assistance to guys like Will Ospreay against the Death Riders, and Brodido against the Don Callis Family. The latter of which trusted him enough to join forces and go after the Trios Championships. The former World Champion and the former Tag Team Champions beat The Demand (Ricochet and GOA) for the titles in their first match as a team. 

No offense to the Trios Division, but it really seems like these three men are in kind of a holding pattern. In a promo on Dynamite, Swerve Strickland spoke the quiet part out loud, wondering if the end to Hangman’s story is really to “ride off in the sunset” with Brodido. Meanwhile, it’s been almost an entire year, and Brody and Bandido have yet to even challenge for the tag team championships they lost at Full Gear 2025. Regardless of their present or future circumstances, these three men will never back down from a challenge, and this time they’re throwing the challenge out themselves. Any trio that wants a shot at the gold can get it at All In. 

Who’s it going to be? The Bang Bang Gang is fully complete for the first time since their inception, and also one of the best Trios champions of all time (totally not biased). Gabe Kidd made a surprise return to Dynamite this month after rehabbing a shoulder injury, so The Dogs are also complete and could go after the Trios titles. Ricochet and GOA could look for their rematch at All In. Or maybe it could be Swerve Strickland who calls his shot. He’s got a vendetta against every one of the Trios champions, and it’s been far too long since Swerve’s House has put gold on display. Problem is, though, that Swerve is just one man. Who could he possibly find to be his partners? Who? Who? Who? 

Turns out it’s all of them and more! Tony Khan announced that the Trios Champions would be defending their championships in a Trios Roulette Royale. Seven trios will compete in a gauntlet until one trio, or members of that trio, are remaining. The confirmed challengers are The Demand, The Bang Bang Gang, The Conglomeration (Orange Cassidy, Kyle O’Reilly, Roderick Strong), Death Riders, The Dogs, and a Wild Card Trio. Tune in early to catch this chaotic yet highly entertaining match. 

Kyle Fletcher vs. Konosuke Takeshita vs. Kazuchika Okada— AEW International Championship Match

The turmoil in the Don Callis Family continues! The past, present, and future of Don’s endless stable will be at odds this Sunday in a guaranteed banger of a match. The intrigue and drama surrounding these three men is the closest thing AEW has to a Real Housewives series. Back in the far-away times of 2023, Konosuke Takeshita became the definitive head of Don Callis’s growing family. He achieved immediate success for Don by beating Kenny Omega twice in one week, and then used that success to become one of the most prolific International Champions of all time. Kyle Fletcher was the next to join and Don took no time at all to pair his two proteges together, dubbing their partnership as ProtoShita. Despite this, the two did become good friends and there was never any visible tension between them. The same cannot be said for Kazuchika Okada. 

One of the brightest stars in New Japan quickly became the Family’s new golden boy, and it created a volatile situation between him and Takeshita. Don tried pairing them up the same way he had with ProtoShita, but they barely communicated and constantly got in each other’s way. Things came to a head at Double or Nothing, when the two faced off for the International Championship. Takeshita exorcised his demons and defeated Okada, and Fletcher came out to celebrate with his friend…or so we thought. Fletcher turned on Takeshita, unceremoniously kicked him out of the DCF, and then defeated him for the International Championship a few short weeks later. In order to “stack the odds” against Takeshita, Don inserted Okada into his championship rematch, much to the dismay of Fletcher. Don wants to ensure the gold stays in the family, but Fletcher is more concerned that the gold stays with him. Okada is being— to borrow a phrase from the Brits— a cheeky bugger and is going along with this, surely in the hopes that the gold comes back to him. Takeshita wants to knee them all in the head.

Herein lies a wonderful conundrum. Takeshita has beaten Okada one-on-one, Fletcher has beaten Takeshita, and Okada beat Fletcher once upon a time (Continental Championship match in 2024). All three men have solid claims for the title, but only one can come out on top. It’s strong style graps with reality TV drama, what a delight. 

Cage and Cope vs. The Young Bucks

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AEW World Tag Team Championship Match

When you think of the Mount Rushmore of Tag Teams, you probably think of too many faces to carve into a mountain side. On that crowded mountain, though, there’s bound to be two of the most charismatic, synergistic, influential…istic duos of all time: The Young Bucks, and Edge and Christian. The Young Bucks defined the indie-rific style that you see shades of in WWE and buckets of in AEW. They flipped, superkicked, and piledrived their way into the hearts of every die-hard wrestling fan that was sick of how homogenized and “left behind” tag team wrestling was in the mainstream. They have won the tag team titles in pretty much every promotion not named WWE (or TNA, surprisingly), and catapulted that success into co-founding the second biggest wrestling company in the world today. 

The Young Bucks let their egos get the better of them, and they abused their status as Executive Vice Presidents of AEW to get title matches, top billings, and lots and lots of money. Then, at All In 2024, they lost their EVP titles in a genuine banger of a match against Will Ospreay and Swerve Strickland. They were swiftly and thoroughly humbled, first by losing their pyro and theme music, and then losing matches and money. At Full Gear 2025, they sunk to a new low by tagging with the Don Callis Family to take on their old friends: Jurassic Express and Kenny Omega. When they lost, they were paid to turn their backs on their friends as the DCF beat them down. It was here that Nick and Matt finally remembered who they were, and they dropped the money in order to save their friends. Since then, they have been on a path to redemption— a path to become elite again. The final step on this path is to regain the AEW Tag Team Championships, but another elite tag team stands in their way. 

Before they were Cage and Cope, they were Edge and Christian. And before they were hardened, crafty renegades with a penchant for swinging spiky bats and sleeping with the mothers of their enemies, they were radical ex-vampire thralls who did five-second poses and reeked of awesomeness. I wrote about Cage and Cope’s long-awaited reunion in my guide to Redemption, and at that pay-per-view, the Young Bucks stared down the retaining champions to plant the seeds for this match. The Young Bucks have been vocal about how much of an inspiration Adam Copeland and Christian Cage have been to them, and now these two revolutionary tag teams will go head-to-head in a match that used to only be capable with CAWs in a WWE 2K game. 

Casino Gauntlet Match

If you love chaotic spot-fests filled with exciting returns and tense previews of potential feuds, then this is the match for you. The Casino Gauntlet Battle Royale is AEW’s equivalent to the Royal Rumble, or Battle Riot, or Aztec Warfare (again, shoutout to Lucha Underground). It evolved from AEW’s Casino Battle Royale, a unique battle royale with 21 competitors that came out in groups of five every three minutes, with a final mystery entrant known as The Joker. In this modified version, the number of competitors is a mystery; the only people you know for certain that are in the match are the first two entrants. Each competitor enters the ring at random intervals, and instead of over-the-top-rope eliminations, the match goes until the first pinfall or submission. The winner of the gauntlet receives a World Championship Match at the time and place of their choosing.

Over the years, the Casino Gauntlet has been the stage for some of AEW’s wildest moments. In 2024, Nigel McGuinness made an emotional return to in-ring competition in the gauntlet after retiring 13 years earlier. In 2025, Toni Storm “reverted” back to her rookie year gimmick to catch everyone in the match off guard, including the current women’s champion, her former protege/traitor, Mariah May. Also in 2025, MJF won the gauntlet at All In and connived his way into winning the AEW World Championship a few months later. Speaking of championships, Ricochet became the inaugural National Champion by winning the casino gauntlet at Full Gear. At Dynasty, Kevin Knight ran the gauntlet to win the vacated TNT Championship. 

The casino gauntlet at All In is full of entrants that are sure to make this another must-see spectacle. MJF and the National Champion Andrade el Idolo are the first two entrants, and they have hated each other since Andrade returned to AEW. Tomasso Ciampa confirmed his entry into the gauntlet and vowed to go through anyone and everyone to win the whole thing. Speaking of which, his former rival Chris Jericho has also confirmed his entry, looking to ride the momentum of his No Holds Barred win against Ciampa into another shot at his long-lost AEW World Championship. Other confirmed entrants include young and hungry competitors like Speedball Mike Bailey and “The Prodigy” Nick Wayne. This will be an entertaining multi-man match, certainly, but be on the lookout for the winner. You might just be looking at the next world champion, after all. 

Brawling Birds (Jamie Hayter/Alex Windsor) vs. Divine Dominion (Lena Kross/Megan Bayne)— AEW Women’s Tag Team Championship Match

Is there a more feminine, respectful way to say “big meaty men slapping meat”? Because if there is, that is the best description for what to expect in this match. Lena Kross is a bruiser from Australia who got on AEW’s radar after taking the fight to then-women’s champion Kris Statlander earlier this year. She can knock you out just as well as she can throw you around, and at six feet tall, she towers over most of the female competition. The only exception might be her tag team partner: The Megasus, Megan Bayne. She made her AEW debut back in 2021, though her appearances were primarily on the minor shows Dark and Elevation. It wasn’t until her excursion to STARDOM in 2023 that she came into her own as a competitor, becoming the Greek Goddess that we know today. She re-debuted in AEW in January 2025 by dominating in the women’s casino gauntlet, and three months later, she was already challenging for the women’s championship. In March 2026 at Revolution, these two powerhouses formally joined forces and pried the women’s tag team championships from the hands of the Babes of Wrath (Harley Cameron and Willow Nightingale). 

Much like Divine Dominion, the Brawling Birds formed out of necessity and opportunity. They wanted gold, and the women’s tag team championships were right there. Jamie Hayter is a former AEW Women’s Champion who probably would have bulldozed through every contender forever had she not gotten injured. She’s strong, agile, and has a propensity for violence but in a cheeky, British kind of way. Alex Windsor (WINDSAAAH!) is the current NJPW Strong Women’s Champion who hits harder than the hangover after Newcastle loses the Premier League. The newly-crowned Mrs. Ospreay cut her teeth in Pro Wrestling: EVE for fifteen years before making her AEW debut in 2025, and she has been a strong presence in their women’s division ever since. 

These teams have been on parallel trajectories of dominance, and they are set to collide in London.

Jon Moxley vs. Nigel McGuinness — Continental Cup Finals

Full disclosure: I wrote half of this match’s description the moment this Cup was announced. Jon Moxley won the Continental Classic at World’s End, and he has held on to the Continental Championship ever since. Last year, he was in the main event of All In, defending the world championship in arguably the most emotional Texas Deathmatch of all time. There is no fathomable universe where he is not playing a prominent role in AEW’s biggest PPV of the year. And it does not make sense for him to drop his championship in a blind-draw tournament on a random Dynamite right before AEW’s biggest PPV of the year. The only thing in doubt was who would be his opponent. 

In the end, only one man could overcome their bracket and punch their ticket to Wembley, and that is Nigel McGuinness. Since returning to in-ring competition, many have wondered where Nigel would take his second run. Would he have a steady retirement tour like Sting (crazy dives and table spots included)? Or would he go all out and wrestle like his life depended on it like his perennial rival Bryan Danielson? Turns out, it’s been more of the latter. Nigel has shown he hasn’t lost a step and consistently wrestles circles around his competition. He took Danielson to the limit for the AEW World Championship, tested the mettle of ROH Pure Champion Lee Moriarty in an Iron Match, and battled Zack Sabre Jr. for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in a technical masterpiece. Though none of these bouts resulted in championship victories, Nigel remained determined and ready for more opportunities. 

The Continental Cup is Nigel’s best championship opportunity to date, but it comes with a major asterisk. In his first round match against Katsuyori Shibata, Nigel apparently injured his ankle. Despite this, he refused to pull out of the tournament and managed to power through his next two tournament matches against Hechicero and Kyle O’Reilly— two men known for their submission prowess. Meanwhile, Jon Moxley has defeated Jungle Jack Perry, Jay White, and his own stablemate, Claudio Castagnoli to get to the Finals, and he will have no qualms about exploiting Nigel’s weakness to retain his championship. The valiant yet injured underdog versus the sadistic champion is a textbook wrestling storyline, but it’s fine art when crafted by the right hands. Moxley and McGuinness, at Wembley, are the best hands you can ask for. 

Darby Allin vs. Kevin Knight (Falls Count Anywhere)

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TNT Championship Match

Last April at Dynasty, Kevin Knight took to the sky during the Casino Gauntlet Match (more on that later) and became the 20th man to hold the TNT Championship. This was a welcome surprise. Kevin Knight had a stellar rookie year in AEW, wowing crowds with his aerial prowess and undeniable charisma. He springboarded himself to an Owen Hart Cup berth, two Trios Championship reigns, and an impressive showing in the Continental Classic. So, when he won the TNT Championship, the crowd cheered— they were on his side and he had their goodwill and support. 

He lost all of that after turning on Darby Allin. 

The Jet’s heel turn was unfortunate yet inevitable. For the past few months, he fended off challengers such as Claudio Castagnoli, Brian Cage, Hook, and then-World Champion MJF, and his confidence was devolving into arrogance. Going into Double or Nothing, he told Darby Allin he believed he could beat MJF and retain the World Championship. After all, Kevin Knight did just that to retain the TNT Championship. At Double or Nothing, MJF beat Darby Allin for the world title and left him on a stretcher, and Kevin Knight came to his aid. But knowing that he could do what the former world champion couldn’t, Kevin realized he was— in many ways— above Darby Allin and above everyone else. He took to the skies once more to hit Darby with The UFO (a spinning frog splash) and then tipped the stretcher over with Darby still on it. 

Darby Allin, being the protege of Sting, knows how important it is to choose your allies wisely. The vindictive daredevil has not taken Knight’s betrayal lightly, and over the past few months, he has tried to get his hands on the TNT Champion through any means necessary. Like an explosive backpack, for instance (classic Darby). Darby has beaten Knight for the World Championship, Knight has beaten Darby for the TNT Championship. This will be the rubber match (if you don’t count their Thanksgiving Eve match in 2025), and it will be Falls Count Anywhere. They’ve already taken the fight to each other all around the arena, so might as well make it a sanctioned affair. Expect this match to be cringe-inducing in the best way, and wildly unpredictable. Kevin Knight could continue his record-setting reign and cement himself as a main-event star, or Darby Allin could become the winningest TNT Champion in history and find himself back on top again. Either way, this blood rivalry comes to an end on Sunday. 

Willow Nightingale vs. Mercedes Moné— AEW Women’s World Championship Match

Oh, what a difference a year makes. 

One year ago, the Owen Hart Tournament winner Mercedes Moné walked down the entrance ramp of All In Texas with every women’s championship under the sun, ready to add the AEW Women’s Championship to her collection. This year, she will walk into Wembley with only her Owen belt in tow, still looking to win the one championship that has eluded her. One year ago, Willow Nightingale was coming up short in the first-ever Women’s Casino Gauntlet match. This year, she is going into All In as the reigning Women’s Champion and with a renewed confidence in herself. 

The rivalry between Mercedes and Willow is a years-long story told with gold and grandeur. Their first battle was at the NJPW Strong Resurgence PPV in 2023, where Mercedes’s unfortunate injury kept her from becoming the inaugural NJPW Strong Women’s Champion. Their second battle was at Double Or Nothing 2024— two months after Mercedes made her official AEW debut— and Mercedes took her revenge on Willow by beating her for the TBS Championship. A year and a half later, they would fight for the third time at AEW’s TV special New Year’s Smash 2025, and Willow would defeat Mercedes again to end her record-breaking TBS Championship reign. 

Each time they have faced each other, they have been on vastly different sides of the proverbial mountain, and yet they still find a way to knock the other one down. Mercedes will never admit she’s jealous that Willow returned from her injury better than ever and won the only championship she hasn’t. She has blindsided, beaten down, and berated Willow every chance she gets, but Willow won’t stay down. In fact, two weeks ago, she recovered from a beatdown by Mercedes, drove her out of the ring, and proudly declared, “I’m still smiling, bitch!” 

This will be Willow’s first major test as the top woman in AEW. She is a proven champion, but Mercedes is her proven spoiler. With the history and talent on hand in this match, I expect nothing less than a Match of the Year candidate from these two.

Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay

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AEW Men’s World Championship Match

Wrestling is an anime. An endless shonen anime with big personalities, dynamic finishers, and long filler arcs so the manga can catch up. With that being the case, Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay are Goku and Naruto, respectively. 

Kenny possesses a Saiyan-like stamina and moveset that has propelled him to the top of NJPW and AEW, but that power came at a great cost to his health. Since his return from fighting life-threatening diverticulitis, he has vowed to recuperate and ascend to the “best version” of himself. His current run as AEW World Championship is a chance for us to see that. Will Ospreay burst into AEW with a dream to become the undeniable best wrestler in the company. Sure, he can take one too many risks, and maybe he’s a little too trusting, but he believes in himself, and he believes in his dream. Plus, he dresses up like a ninja sometimes. 

This will only be the fourth time these titans go one-on-one, but they have a decade of history together. Their factions went to war with each other in New Japan, Ospreay with CHAOS and Omega as the leader of Bullet Club. When Kenny left New Japan to help form AEW, Ospreay was one of the men he penned to become Japan’s next top gaijin, and he famously criticized Ospreay for not being able to “fill his shoes”. That sowed a seed of disdain in Ospreay that he carried into their epic duology for the NJPW United States Championship, first at Wrestle Kingdom 17 and then at Forbidden Door 2023. In AEW, Ospreay and Omega have been bitter rivals pitted against each other by Don Callis, shaky allies against the Don Callis Family and Death Riders, and now fierce opponents heading into the main event of All In: London. 

Despite Ospreay breaking ties with the Death Riders and coming to Omega’s aid at the end of Redemption last month, Omega still hit Ospreay with the One Winged Angel. He reasoned that the rescue was just a ruse, and the friend he knew— one who wasn’t so gun shy without help— was long gone. Ospreay says he can still pull the trigger, but he’s going to do it his way, and he’s going to do it when Kenny can see it. Well, Kenny will see pretty clearly under the bright lights of Wembley Stadium. And we will all see who is standing tall when these two goats lock horns. 

Other Things To Look Out For

• Last year at All In, Adam Cole had to tragically relinquish his TNT Championship due to injury, and he openly contemplated retirement. We have not seen him on AEW television since. Could he make an appearance on Sunday? If only to give us an update on his condition? Either way, we at DSR continue to wish him the best in his recovery.

• Where. Is. Toni. Storm. The timeless one has not been seen since being written off in March after a backstage attack. She is reportedly taking time off for a non-injury reason, so we do wish her the best. At the same time, though, if I see the screen go black-and-white on Sunday, or I see a foreboding stiletto come into view, I will lose my mind. 

• We’re plunging deep into rumor territory here, but Bayley has yet to renew her contract with the WWE. She hasn’t been seen on television since losing to Lyra Valkyria on Saturday Night’s Main Event. Could we see a reunion of the Boss and Hug Connection in AEW? 

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Jhuvin P. is a writer for CBC/DSR. He has previous experience as a ghostwriter, has published several short stories, and is perpetually working on a novel. In addition to writing, he is also a comedian based in Colorado Springs. He posts clips of his stand-up comedy along with his other goofy antics on TikTok and Instagram.