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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
JULY 8, 2026
CLEARWATER, FLA. AT THE BAYCARE SOUND
AIRED ON TBS & HBO MAX
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Nigel McGuinness
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Attendance: WrestleTix reported that 3,430c tickets had been distributed at showtime; arena is set up for 3,553. This is AEW’s debut at this venue.
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[HOUR ONE]
-Renee Paquette interviewed Kenny Omega backstage. She said this was arguably the biggest night of his career given the high stakes. She asked what was going through his mind. He said it was a loaded question beacuse it’s do or die. He said in his career, he’s done his best work with his back against the wall. He said Michael Nakazawa is his only friend there that night, someone who’s always been there for him. He said if MJF can beat him and prevent him from ever wrestling for the AEW Title again, he’ll shake his hand and tell him a job well done. He said it won’t be that easy. He asked if MJF has what it takes to “kill me in the ring tonight; and stomp out his last chance at the AEW Title and also prevent him from headlining AEW’s largest event in history at Wembley Stadium. He said it won’t be like last time. He said he’s ready this time.
-They cut to the crowd in an outdoor setting as Excalibur introduced and touted the show.
(1) TOMMASO CIAMPA vs. CHRIS JERICHO
Ciampa made his entrance first and waited for Jericho on the stage. Jericho didn’t walk out through the entrance, but made his way up the aisle to “Judas” as some fans sang the lyrics. He brawled with Ciampa on the stage. Jericho suplexed Ciampa onto a plastic patio chair and then “smashed” a plastic patio chair across his back as “Judas” continued to play.
They entered the ring and the bell rang 6 minutes into the hour. Taz high-fived Jericho at ringside after he leaped at Ciampa. Schiavone said he looks better than ever. Jericho threw Ciampa into the ring, but then Ciampa caught him with a DDT as he re-entered the ring. Ciampa then threw Jericho to the ring apron and landed a knee strike. Jericho fought back on the ring apron and gave Ciampa a Death Valley Driver onto the edge of the ring.
Ciampa came back and delivered a Pedigree onto the top of the ringside steps. Ciampa gloated to the crowd. Ciampa kissed thehead of a bald fan at ringside. “Bald is beautiful, ass clown,” he said into the camera. They cut to a double-box break at 5:00. [c/db]
Ciampa threw Jericho into a ringpost. Jericho came up bleeding. Jericho made a comeback after the break and mounted Ciampa in the corner. Ciampa countered into a side slam off the top rope for a two count. Schiavone noted that it’s hot and humid and that made the turnbuckle and ropes slippery for added danger. Taz said the humidity more than the heat changes everything and said it’s not easy when he’s done it in his career.
Jericho caught Ciampa with a small package for a two count. Jericho took Ciampa off the top rope with a huracanrana. Schiavone said, “Jericho can still move.” (So is he better than ever or are we giving him credit for still being able to move? That feels like a low bar.) Ciampa was about to hit Jericho with a metal pail full of sand, but Jericho blocked it with a Code Breaker. Jericho scored a two count.
Ciampa avoided a Lionsault and landed two knee strikes for a two count at 13:00. Ciampa lowered his kneepad and went for another running knee strike, but Jericho blocked it and applied a Lion Tamer. Ciampa grabbed the bucket to use as a weapon, but the ref took it away. Ciampa threw sand into Jericho’s eyes and followed with another Psycho Knee for the win.
WINNER: Ciampa in 20:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: The action was largely fine. I suppose with the Beach Break theme, sand in the eyes fits the theme.)
-Afterward, Ciampa hit Jericho with the metal bucket. Schiavone said Ciampa didn’t care about winning as much as hurting Jericho since he was risking a DQ earlier. Ciampa emptied tools out of a duffel bag. He pulled out an electric drill (STUPID). Security entered the ring to try to block Ciampa. They succeeded.
(Keller’s Analysis: Threatening a wrestler with an electric drill is just utter nonsense. Nobody thinks you’re actually going to use it, so don’t tease it.)
-They showed scenes of the beach.
-A vignette aired with The Brawling Birds in a bar fight beating up several men with zany beach music in the background. Somehow, there were multiple high-end cameras filming the entire scene from several angles.
(Keller’s Analysis: Utterly stupid. What was the point? There’s no interpretation of that where it feels real, and so what purpose did it serve? It showed a bunch of slapstick bar fighting exchanges that prove nothing and had no context, but was meant to make you chuckle.)
-Renee interviewed Will Ospreay who said he is pulling for Omega, of course. He said you cannot deny how good MJF is, but it’s never that talent you need to worry about, it’s the bull that comes with it. MJF walked in and said he sounded quite judgmental when talking about him. He told Ospreay he should be thanking him for the golden era of AEW in 2026. He said it’s ironic that at one point he said he was going to “restore the feeling,” but it was him restoring the feeling all along. He said after tonight, Omega is never going to be able to challenge for the AEW Title again and he might not even be able to look in the mirror again. He said he’ll take great pride in breaking “the stack of dimes you call a neck.”
Ospreay said MJF doesn’t crack the top 50. he said he knows Japanese girls that are 14 years old who are better than him. He said he’s not part o the conversation and he never will be until he drops his tactics. MJF spat in his face. Ospreay punched him. They brawled and were pulled apart by security. MJF shouted that Omega is a dead man “and it’s on you!” [c]
(2) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA vs. KYLE FLETCHER – AEW International Title match
Taz said he’d been wanting to see this match since Double or Nothing. Don Callis joined in on commentary. He accused Takeshita as throwing the Don Callis Family under the bus. The bell rang 33 minutes into the hour. Fans chanted “F— Don Callis!” early. Excalibur plugged a Twitch live stream.
Fletcher landed a running front kick to Takeshita’s face. When he celebrated, Takeshita recovered and knocked him down. He then played to the criowd and then eyed Callis. Lance Archer stood at ringside to protect Callis. Another, louder, “F— Don Callis!” chant rang out. That all gave Fletcher a chance to recover enough to duck Takeshita’s elbow strike and then go on the attack. Taz took Callis’s side and said he must feel Takeshita was so unappreciative of him. They continued to fight back and forth until cutting to a double-box break at 7:00. [c/db]
Takeshita gave Fletcher a piledriver and a wheelbarrow suplex onto the ring apron. Both were down and slow to get up at ringside at 12:00. Takeshita stood first and threw Fletcher into the ring. Takeshita gave Fletcher a reverse huracanrana back i the ring. When he charged at Fletcher, Fletcher landed a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Callis and Archer stood and applauded at ringside. Both were slow to get up.
Takeshita landed a running clothesline and then signaled for a top rope move. Fletcher popped up and set up a move. Takeshita head-butted Fletcher, but Fletcher landed a high kick. Takeshita came out of the corner with a Razor’s Edge on Fletcher. Callis at ringside distracted Takeshita, opening Fletcher to deliver a kick. Fletcher then landed a Raging Fire for a two count.
Takeshita and Fletcher battled for a backslide. Fletcher got the better of the battle and landed a sheet drop brainbuster for a near fall. Fletcher met Takeshita on the top rope and gave Takeshita a brainbuster onto the top turnbuckle for a clean win.
WINNER: Fletcher in 17:00 to capture the AEW International Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: An intense, hard-hitting, really good match. The only downside for me, but it’s part of the modern style, is when a wrestler recovers from a huge move instantly to hit a big move of their own. It just makes the impact of the big moves feel negligible or inconsistent, and the shock value isn’t worth it to me in terms of what it does to the sense of the impact big moves are supposed to have. I think it’s overdone, and this match is hardly alone in being an example of that.) [c]
-Mick Foley made his first appearance on TBS in 32 years. Callis and Fletcher were still in the ring. Foley said this moment wasn’t about him, but rather Fletcher. Foley said that was one of the finest matches he’s seen. He asked what it was like to beat his former best friend, Takeshita. Fletcher said Takeshita was never his friend. He said he was always number one in Protoshita and Takeshita was riding his coat tails. He held up the belt and said he brought it back to the Don Callis Family.
Callis interjected himself and accused Foley of stealing the spotlight. Foley told Callis that he wanted to talk about credibility. He said he has it and he meant it when he complimented the match and Fletcher himself. Foley pointed at his custom shoes which had a former dog painted on it. He said it gives him comfort. He said one of his current dogs is painted on his right foot and if Callis steps out of line, that dog will become very acquainted with his ass.
Callis asked how dare him insult him. He said he’s a manager of champions. He brought up Kevin Knight, the TNT Champion. He called him to the ring as Fletcher and Foley were engaged in a staredown. Knight walked out and congratulated Fletcher on his win. “Welcome to the club,” he said. “It took you long enough.” He entered the ring and said he is still owed an AEW World Title shot. He said he’ll be closely watching the MJF vs. Omega match. Andrade El Idolo’s music played and he made his way out to the ring. Schiavone asked if there was anybody cooler than Andrade.
[HOUR TWO]
Andrade addressed Callis from the aisle. He said he was the best in the Don Callis Family and he messed up. He promised to take one belt from him. Callis said he had to endure months of his obsession with belts. He told Andrade that if he could beat Jake Doyle next week, he could face Mark Davis for the AEW National Title. Andrade seemed pleased with the offer and then said he had one question: “How you know?” Doyle, Brain Cage, and Knight chased Andrade to the back. Foley was standing at ringside by this point.
They cut to the back where Darby Allin went after Cage, Doyle, and Knight with his skateboard. Knight and Doyle held Darby as Cage wound up with Darby’s skateboard, but it was booby trapped and zapped him. Andrade walked in and then the brawled. They cut away from the brawl in progress.
-They went to the announcers on camera who were chuckling about the booby trapped skateboard.
(Keller’s Analysis: This booby trap thing with Darby is a step back in his cool factor.)
(3) WILL OSPREAY & JON MOXLEY (w/Marina Shafir) vs. THE WORK HORSEMEN (JD Drake & Anthony Henry)
Taz said Moxley is trying to bring a different aspect of Ospreay’s style. The bell rang 7 minutes into the hour. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00. [cdb]
Mox rolled out of the ring to get a series of slaps to the face by Shafir to fire him up. He then re-entered the ring and hit Henry with two clotheslines. Drake didn’t sell them and then chopped Mox. Ospreay entered and gave a Styles Clash to Drake as Mox gave Drake a piledriver. Mox gave Henry a Paradigm Shift and then Ospreay gave him a Hidden Blade for the win.
WINNERS: Moxley & Ospreay in 9:00.
-A vignette aired on Hikaru Shid. She said everyone ignored her warnings and now she is the new face of TBS. She said for now on, she should be called the Ace of TBS. She said TBS now stands for “The Best is Shida.”
-Excalibur plugged the St. Petersburgh/Clearwater area.
(4) CASINO GAUNTLET MATCH – Winner Receives AEW Women’s Title match at AEW Revolution
Thekla made her way to ringside to watch and join in on commentary. They showed Mercedes Mone watching from a life guard chair on the stage. Athena made her entrance first. Then Maya World. The bell rang 21 minutes into the hour. Skye Blue came out next. They cut to a double-box break at 3:00. [c/db]
Mina Shirakawa entered after the break. Julia Hart made her entrance at 9:00 and brought a trash can lid with her. They cut to another double-box break at 10:00. [c/db]
Thunder Rosa joined the match and landed a Samoan Drop on Maya on a trash can lid. Thekla said, “Man, the ring is really filling up with some dumb bitches.” Willow Nightingale made her entrance at 12:00. Fans popped for her return. She landed spinebusters and pounded her chest. Taz quoted Jim Ross by saying business just picked up. She flip dove onto a crowd at ringside, then high-fived fans. Athena leaped at Willow, but Willow caught her and gave her a Death Valley Driver at ringside. Hart and Blue double-teamed Willow. Hart scored a two count on a roll-up. Willow came back with a powerbomb on Hart for the win.
WINNER: Willow in 18:00.
-As Willow celebrated, Thekla tackled her. Devine Dominion attacked Hart and Blue. Thekla was about to hit Willow with her belt when Mercedes intervened. Mercedes then hit Thekla with her belt. Schiavone said there seemed to be an alliance formed with Mercedes and Devine Dominion.
-A vignette aired with “Jungle” Jack Perry saying one of his biggest fears is not living up to people’s sense of his potential. He said he wants to be the best and win the AEW World Title. He said it’s not enough to just be in AEW. He said he has re-signed with AEW. A clip aired of him signing a contract next to Tony Khan.
-Renee interviewed “Speedball” Mike Bailey backstage. She asked waht is next for him. He said Don Callis has taken so much from him, he wants to take something from him. He said he’s going after Mark Davis’s National Title on Collision. [c]
(5) MJF vs. KENNY OMEGA – AEW World Title match
Omega made his entrance first. Then MJF. Justin Roberts, casually dressed in beach clothes, did formal ring introductions. Omega looked like he felt the weight of the moment. Omega got nice cheers, but nothing that sounded overwhelming. MJF handed Roberts a sheet of paper to read. Roberts read that MJF is not from filthy Florida, the home of racism and incest. He bragged about kicking out of the One-Winged Angel like it was nothing and that he’d end Omega’s legacy tonight. The bell rang 52 minutes into the hour.
Announced Matches & Other Notes
- MJF vs. Kenny Omega – AEW World Championship match (If Omega loses, he can never again challenge for AEW World Title)
- Athena vs. Maya World vs. ??? – Women’s Casino Gauntlet (Winner to earn AEW Women’s World Title shot at Redemption)
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