The last "AEW Dynamite" before this weekend's Grand Slam event in Australia featured two major title changes, as well as a ripping three-way tag match to determine the number one contenders to the world tag titles. But enough about what happened, that was already covered on the results page.Now it's time to get into our feelings and break down what worked, and what very much didn't from last night's show in Ontario, CA. There was plenty to like, especially from the in-ring standpoint, with plenty of great matches, but there was also plenty to hate, like the questionable decision to end Tommaso Ciampa's TNT Title reign so soon.Enough of my bloviating, let's get into what we loved and what we didn't from Wednesday's show.
I agree, Bryan Danielson this match was cool.Okay, Danielson put his admiration for this match in much more eloquent terms, but "this is cool" is a fair summary of his reaction to this absolutely electrifying match between The Young Bucks, The Rascalz, and the newly-returned Private Party and, honestly, I was just as awed as he was. On Wednesday's episode of "AEW Dynamite," three of AEW's finest tag teams brawled for an opportunity at FTR's AEW World Tag Team Championships, and while hometown heroes Matthew and Nicholas Jackson came out with the win, I can confidently say this: after a performance like that, you can't really say that anyone really lost.I haven't watched AEW in a bit, so tuning in to this incredible match was a great "welcome back" to the promotion. Everything about this match screams AEW, in the best way possible. When I think of AEW, I think of incredible matches that leave you in utter awe of the human body's capabilities. I think of matches that run just a little (okay, very) long, just because no man in that ring is done showcasing their insane athletic abilities. I think of matches that push the boundaries of what is possible in that ring, of what is possible from these performers. This match was that, in the most positive sense. Every team in this match is known for its high-flying, risky moves, and it wasted no time in showing that. From the jump, bodies were flying everywhere. Signatures and finishers were being intercepted by more signatures and finishers. Spots that would have been match-enders for anybody else were just passing news for these high-caliber athletes. This match is what AEW is all about, for better and for worse, and I cannot think of a better match on Wednesday's card to show people when they ask what this wrestling promotion is all about.Private Party made a shocking return as the night's Wild Card, and I'd say they held up extremely well. They wrestled like they never left, and were able to keep up with both the young Desmond Xavier and Myron Reed and the extremely experienced, active Jackson brothers. While I understand the disappointment behind a loss on the newly-returned Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen's record, I had kind of accepted that The Young Bucks, California's hometown heroes, were going over. I'm glad Private Party avoided the pin, because, while I do mourn Xavier and Reed's first loss on AEW programming, a Private Party loss would've been plain disrespectful. The Bucks were going over as they should, considering their recent work and someone had to eat the pin.This is what AEW, and what wrestling, is all about.Written by Angeline Phu
No, seriously, whatarethe Death Riders. Ever since the group rallied behind Jon Moxley, instead of spurning him like everyone assumed, they've become something of a wishy-washy hodge-podge. Case in point: Daniel Garcia was teaming with Clark Conners tonight.It used to be an incredibly insular group, and now it feels like they'll team with anyone. They might be on the wrong side of Orange Cassidy and Toni Storm, but they aren't quite as hated as they were last year. It just feels like they're stuck in a rut. Maybe they'll find their way back to glory through shaving the heads of Cassidy and Storm, but it's just as likely, possibly more-so, that Wheeler Yuta and Mina Shafir are due for a fresh shave.The Death Riders used to be one of the most dominant forces in AEW, so much so that it nearly became a creative liability, and now they're just kinda there. They've become the Suzuki-gun of AEW, but without anyone quite reaching the heights of a Zack Sabre Jr. or El Desperado.Written by Ross Berman
You know those wrestling matches you watch where the two men fighting have natural in-ring chemistry, and you know what you're watching is a banger because of it? Well, whether or not you've experienced that feeling before, Tommaso Ciampa and Kyle Fletcher's TNT Championship is a prime example of two stars who just have that natural chemistry with one another.Ciampa and Fletcher both kept the energy up throughout this entire match, with the fast-paced and hard-hitting opening moments of this one setting the tone for the entire thing. There's no shortage of matches that I find myself tuning out of because they're just mediocre or something I'm not personally interested in, but this match was the complete opposite of that. I found myself super engaged throughout the entire bout, and on the edge of my seat waiting to see what the two men would do next.Given that this was Ciampa's first time competing in the ring on "Dynamite", I also think that it was a great introduction or re-introduction to fans who haven't seen what he can do in the ring as of late. There were countless small things that Ciampa did in the match to enhance matters, whether it was his signature applause and pat on the back or his reaction to sliding in the ring in order to stop a ten-count the referee had started when both he and Fletcher were on the outside.I also think it's really important to acknowledge the end of the match. While I suspect that it's not one for everyone and I would agree that it's far too soon for Ciampa to have lost the TNT Championship, I do think that the manner in which it was done left plenty of room for intrigue as to what will come next and it's nice for Fletcher to be able to walk into his home country of Australia with some gold around his waist. With Mark Briscoe already being set up as Fletcher's first challenger for the TNT Championship in a Ladder Match, Ciampa inevitably waiting on the other side of the winner, and AEW Revolution right around the corner, it leaves plenty of doors open for where AEW wants to go with the story. All in all, this wasn't just a standout moment on this edition of "Dynamite", but rather THE standout moment from AEW on the whole in 2026 thus far.Written by Olivia Quinlan
I was genuinely surprised to see Tommaso Ciampa join AEW as quickly as he did, as I was fully convinced he was headed to Japan first following his WWE exit, but it was quite the pleasant surprise. I loved the fact he showed up and immediately challenged Mark Briscoe for the TNT Championship, and I was thrilled for him that he won the gold on his first attempt. I did not love, however, how he lost the title just 11 days after winning it on an episode of "AEW Collision."While I love Kyle Fletcher and I understand where AEW is going with him winning back the gold, then facing Briscoe in a "game seven" ladder match at Grand Slam: Australia, it leaves me wondering what the heck Ciampa is going to do next, and that's not a great place for him to be immediately after leaving WWE, for reasons I'm sure had to do with his creative. AEW even had him start his old gimmick of treating his championship like a baby, calling it "Silvey," a play off his gimmick with the NXT Championship he called "Goldie" during his best-known run when WWE's developmental brand was still the black and gold. When they started running with that, I assumed Ciampa's reign was much longer for this world.I assumed Fletcher would be in a good spot leading in to Grand Slam, as it's in his home country, but for whatever reason, I didn't expect him to become TNT Champion, and I certainly didn't expect him and Briscoe to have yet another match. If anything, I would have expected Fletcher to be thrust into the (albeit already very crowded) AEW World Championship scene, since he's held the TNT title before with great success. And, whereas Fletcher would slot into the main event scene quite well at this point, I'm not sure if Ciampa would, only because he's extremely new to the AEW roster. I'd imagine most, if not all, AEW sickos are familiar with him, but Andrade was already a star quickly elevated to the title picture without a terribly substantial run, and I'm not sure lightning would strike twice in that case.Maybe Ciampa goes after whoever holds the title following the ladder match at Grand Slam, and he had one hell of a battle against Fletcher tonight that I did think was an incredible match, but it still just felt a bit strange for him to lose the championship almost as quickly as he won it. Right now, I'll just hope that we get to see Fletcher vs. Ciampa, round two, for the gold, because that match ruled tonight, despite Ciampa's loss of "Silvey."Written by Daisy Ruth
No matter how you feel about Kris Statlander or Thekla, the "Toxic Spider's" victory tonight to become AEW Women's World Champion just made sense. I can't say I loved the match happening technically, as "Dynamite" was supposed to be over, and it was all fought entirely during the show's overrun, but maybe that had to happen due to the nature of the strap match and the blood that was inevitable. The match could have taken place on Saturday, but with the addition of the TNT Championship ladder match tonight, Thekla's victory happening on "Dynamite" wasn't a bad thing, so it didn't get lost in the shuffle in Australia, where plenty of big matches are happening already.However, I did love Thekla getting the win here, as it wouldn't have made much sense for Statlander to retain. The women ran it back after having their first match for the gold on the January 28 edition of "Dynamite." They also made it a whole thing of Statlander choosing a stipulation for the match, then dragging out a reveal.The match itself was pretty solid, and for once, the interference also made a bit of sense. Commentary made sure the fans knew that Statlander's friends, AEW Women's Tag Team Champions Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron, were already in Australia ahead of Grand Slam, so no one was coming to even the odds when Julia Hart and Skye Blue interfered.I loved this because Thekla's win creates some new, interesting stories. It ended up being Jamie Hayter and Alex Windsor to come to Statlander's aid, a little too late, however, adding them to the mix against The Sisters of Sin. Cameron and Nightingale not being there for Statlander could add something to their story if AEW wants to go the route of Statlander not being so understanding that they had already left the country.And, while I'm sure we're getting Statlander vs. Thekla III, I'd like to see what "The Toxic Spider" can do as champion against some other challengers, too. While this may have been a pretty obvious result tonight, I think it was the best choice moving forward into not just Grand Slam, but also Revolution next month.Written by Daisy Ruth
I spent much of the women's world title match cringing at the idea that the strap tying the two competitors together, had blood on it from three years ago. No one cleaned the belt!?I'm sorry, that's just a health hazard. I kept worrying that someone was going to walk away with a staph infection. I get it, AEW wants the women to seem as tough as the men, but in doing so, sometimes things get so reckless that I just have to throw up my hands and ask, "What are we doing here?"Maybe it's all kayfabe and the strap is thoroughly disinfected, but it's still the kind of thing that sounds tough, but comes off just stupid.Maybe I'm just an old man shouting at the clouds, but a little antiseptic is not the craziest request in the world.Written by Ross Berman
