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AEW DYNAMITE REPORT
JULY 22, 2026
NASHVILLE, TENN. AT THE PINNACLE
AIRED ON TBS & HBO MAX
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz
Ring Announcer: Justin Roberts
Attendance: WrestleTix reported that 1,250 tickets had been distributed; arena is set up for 1,251. The arena has a capacity of 4,500 spectators when configured for concerts.
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PWTorch editor Wade Keller and PWTorch’s Dennis Kline to review AEW Dynamite LIVE tonight right after Dynamite. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Dynamite during the show. PWTorch’s Darrin Lilly will join as an on-site correspondent also.
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[HOUR ONE]
-They opened with a live shot inside the arena of the crowd and then to the announcers at ringside as Excalibur introduced the show. He hyped the AEW Redemption PPV this Sunday night.
-A backstage promo aired with Will Ospreay and Kenny Omeg backstage. Ospreay excitedly said he and Omega have never lost when they’ve teamed. He told Ospreay to “reach out and touch someone” if he needs to tag out since he’ll be there for him. (Oh, fun, a 1980s “Ma Bell” long-distance calling commercial pop culture reference!). Jon Moxley walked in and soaked up the vibe and said, “There is no tension in this room.” Mox left. Omega said, “Well, there wasn’t.”
(1) KEVIN KNIGHT vs. DARBY ALLIN – TNT Title match
A clip aired Darby beating Brian Cage last week. Renee Paquette did a ringside report as Darby was making his entrance. She said last year, Darby spent the night in the hospital last fall when they were in this arena last time due to injuries caused by Knight. She said tonight Knight told her he is determined to “out-wrestle” Darby. When Knight came out, he stood at ringside and taunted the crowd. Darby grew impatient and leaped through the ropes and tackled Knight. He punched away at him at ringside. Excalibur noted the bell hadn’t rung. The crowd chanted “Darby! Darby!” They fought into the crowd. Darby then leaped off the ringpost and clotheslined Knight off of a table at ringside. Fans chanted, “Holy shit!”
Darby favored his knee afterward. Knight rolled into the ring and Darby followed. The ref called for the bell at 8:00. They fought to the ramp right away. Knight shoved Darby crotch-first into a ringside barricade and then flew at him and knocked him to hte floor. Knight pulled the ringside stairs aside and catapulted him from inside the steps head-first into the top layer of the steps. Knight threw Darby back into the ring and went for a pin. Darby kicked out at two. Darby was bleeding from the forehead. Excalibur noted any damage Knight suffers won’t serve him well against Omega on Sunday night.
Darby gave Knight a top rope Code Red; Knight almost landed dangerously awkwardly on his face. He then hit a regular Code Red into a near fall at 3:30. Darby shoved Knight’s forearm into the top of the ringpost (he removed the lid earlier) and wrenched on it. Then he knocked Knight to the floor and leaped onto him with a Coffin Drop. With both down at ringside, they cut to a double-box break at 4:30. [c/db]
Back from the break, the camera panned the floor seats from behind which was a really cool scene-setting angle. Both Darby and Knight collided mid-ring after the break. Both were slow to get up. Knight landed a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a near fall at 8:30. Knight flung Darby and Darby knocked the ref over inadvertently. Knight clotheslined Darby as he turned around. He then pulled the belt off the announce desk at ringside and waited for Darby to stand. Darby ducked and gave Knight a Scorpion Death Drop. They showed the ref was still down at ringside. Excalibur said his head clipped the ropes. Darby picked up the belt, but then threw it down. Excalibur said Darby wanted to win the right way. When Darby set up a Coffin Drop, Knight knocked him off balance with a belt shot to the back of his head and hung him upside down. Knight then landed a Coast to Coast followed by a top rope UFO splash. A groggy ref crawled into the ring and counted the pin. Excalibur noted that Knight said he wanted to win without help from the Don Callis Family, but he showed he was willing to use other illegal means.
WINNER: Knight in 12:00 to retain the TNT Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: AEW doesn’t do ref bumps often. This was executed well for a ref bump. I liked Darby choosing to try to win the right way, and having Excalibur point it out was also a plus. It turned out to be a way to give Knight a heelish tainted win going into Sunday’s PPV.)
-Kyle Fletcher then walked out with his title belt. Taz said they’re both with Callis, but there’s tension between them anyway. Kazuchika Okada then came out. [c]
-Renee interviewed Knight, Fletcher, and the rest of the Don Callis Family who came to the ring during the break. She talked about three of them defending their singles titles on Sunday. Jake Doyle said the only way he has a match this Sunday is if Andrade can scrape himself up off of the pavement in Fenway where he left them. Fans broke into a “How you know? chant as Renee turned to Knight. Knight said he broke Darby tonight and also broke a record for the number of TNT Title defense, a record held by Fletcher prior. He said he did it without the Don Callis Family. Renee turned to Fletcher and asked what was next for them. Fletcher yanked the mic away from him and walked up to his face.
Fletcher told Knight he seems really impressed with himself. He said he hopes he becomes Kevin Two Belts. He told Knight to take his hand off his title. He said he doesn’t need help from the DCF to retain his title, either. He said he’s going to go to talk to Tony Khan to be sure everyone is banned from ringside on Sunday when he defends against Bandido. He said they should do it tonight for their match also. He then shoved Knight. Knight got in his face. Their cohorts separated them and tried to calm the situation.
Bandido and Brody King made their entrance.
(2) BANDIDO & BRODY KING vs. KYLE FLETCHER & KAZUCHIKA OKADA
Announced Matches & Other Notes
- Kenny Omega & Will Ospreay & Jon Moxley vs. The Don Callis Family (Brian Cage & Hechicero & Jake Doyle)
- Kevin Knight vs. Darby Allin – TNT Championship match
- Divine Dominion (“Colossal” Lena Kross & “Megasus” Megan Bayne) vs. Sisters of Sin (Skye Blue & Julia Hart) – AEW Women’s World Tag Team Championship No DQ match
- Clark Connors vs. Jay White
- Thekla and Willow Nightingale face-to-face
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