The John Report: AEW Dynamite 06/10/26 Review (Summer Blockbuster)
This is AEW Dynamite, featuring Swerve Strickland facing Brody King, Orange Cassidy taking on Andrade El Idolo, Jon Moxley in action, and more.
It’s AEW Dynamite “Summer Blockbuster,” which really doesn’t mean anything other than a couple of buzzwords. I’ll do summary-style reviews for most of the show and play-by-play for one or two matches.
This was AEW Dynamite episode #349 from The Andrew J. Brady Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Follow me on Twitter/X @johnreport. Let’s get to it.
It’s Wednesday, and you know what that means. Excalibur was on commentary with Tony Schiavone and Taz.
Let’s Hear from Tommaso Ciampa
Tommaso Ciampa was interviewed by Tony Schiavone in the ring. Ciampa wanted Tony to tell him that he was better than Chris Jericho. Ciampa called Tony an old, senile bastard and he wanted Tony to tell the fans that Ciampa is better than Jericho. Tony was pushed up against the turnbuckle, so he said Ciampa is better than Jerich- and here’s the interruption.
Chris Jericho made his entrance in the building with the ramp connected to the ring. The fans sang along with Jericho’s song and Ciampa was yelling at them to stop.
Ciampa said it’s about damn time that Jericho showed up in the flesh. Jericho wondered who he has to talk to so that he can fight somebody who has hair. There were “Bald” chants. Chris: “Hi, I’m Jericho.” Ciampa said he knows who Jericho has been his entire damn career. Ciampa said he left Jericho unconscious two weeks ago – he’s the “Psycho Killer” Tommaso Ciampa. Jericho called him Tommy, so there was a “Tommy” chant. Jericho said Tommy looks better on a t-shirt and it’s so much easier to chant. Ciampa said his mother doesn’t even call him Tommy and nobody will call him Tommy. Jericho said “Tommy’s Mommy” so the fans chanted that.
Jericho wanted to know why Ciampa hates his so much. Jericho kept on making jokes, so Ciampa said this entire thing is a joke to you. Jericho said it’s not a joke that Ciampa left him lying two weeks ago. Jericho said that the reason why you hate him is that you’re not Jericho. Jericho said that Ciampa has realized he’s not the big fish he thought he was. Jericho called him “Tommy” so that led to the two men exchanging punches. Security and referees went out there to break it up, so then Ciampa and Jericho broke free and fought on the ramp.
Analysis: It was classic comedy with Jericho’s joking and the “Tommy” bit while mocking Ciampa’s baldness, but I didn’t mind it. It’s a good feud that should benefit both guys and I hope Ciampa wins the feud. I thought Ricochet would win his feud with Jericho, but that didn’t happen since Jericho won their final match.
The TNT Champion, Kevin Knight, and Don Callis were interviewed by Renee Paquette backstage. They were rude to her and it didn’t go far. Andrade El Idolo walked in, saying he wants the World Title. Andrade said Knight is new to the Don Callis Family and told him to go to the back of the line. Knight said that they are running out of time and they have things to do. Knight told Andrade to watch how they handle business. Callis told Andrade he’s getting his title shot since Don gave him his word. Andrade didn’t seem thrilled.
Jon Moxley made his entrance as the AEW Continental Champion in his hometown of Cincinnati. Moxley started outside the building and then walked into the back part of the building.
AEW Continental Championship: Jon Moxley vs. Shane Taylor
I don’t remember the last time I saw a Shane Taylor match. Taylor is rarely on Dynamite. I don’t watch Collision or ROH. Taylor is a big dude from Cleveland, so Taz put it over as Cincy against Cleveland. The big man, Taylor, worked over Moxley with body punches. Moxley sent a charging Taylor to the floor and Moxley dropkicked Taylor off the apron. Moxley hit a suicide dive on Taylor on the floor. Taylor gave Moxley a hiptoss over the barricade. Taylor gave Moxley a uranage slam through the timekeeper’s table at ringside. They went to a picture-in-picture break.
It was Taylor in control with a leg drop on the apron. Back in the ring, Taylor hit two clotheslines. Moxley came back with chops, punches and a boot to the head. Taylor hit a forearm, but Moxley bounced off the ropes with a clothesline. Moxley worked over Taylor with some punches, along with some forehead biting. Taylor headbutted (his hand) to knock Moxley off the turnbuckle. Taylor hit a splash off the middle turnbuckle for a two count. It was 10 minutes into the 20-minute time limit match. Taylor hit a lefty lariat for two. Moxley and Taylor exchanged forearms (Moxley loves doing the “stand and throw strikes” spot) and then Moxley hit a Cutter for a two count. Moxley applied an armbar on the left arm, but Taylor got out of that and hit a knee to the face. Moxley tripped up Taylor and went for an Ankle Lock, but Taylor got out of it. Moxley hit The Stomp and the Bulldog Choke, which led to Taylor tapping out. It went about 13 minutes.
Winner by submission: Jon Moxley
Analysis: ***1/4 This was the usual Jon Moxley style match with a different kind of opponent since Taylor is a power guy. By that, I mean Moxley spent most of the match selling to make it look like his opponent had a shot to win, but of course, Moxley came back to win. Taylor obviously had no shot to win here. I think Taylor is a guy who should be featured on Dynamite more, but I don’t know if that will happen.
After the match, Taylor punched Moxley in the jaw to knock him down. Taylor was given a belt, so he attacked Moxley with belt shots. There were members of Shane Taylor Promotions at ringside, so they were fighting with members of the Death Riders, which is Moxley’s stable. Taylor jumped off the middle turnbuckle with a splash. Taz said he loved it.
Analysis: That post match attack was done to set up the Death Riders agaisnt STP on Collision.
A video aired about Mercedes Mone talking about how she’s a global icon and the greatest to ever do it. Mone spoke about how for six months, she watched this division lose its power.
Let’s Hear from Kevin Knight
The TNT Champion Kevin Knight was in the ring with Don Callis doing a promo. It was a typical heel promo for Knight, talking about how great he is and wanting to be a 2-time champion, meaning he wants the AEW World Title. Knight called out AEW World Champion, Maxwell Jacob Friedman. Instead, the former AEW World Champion, Darby Allin, attacked Knight from behind with a skateboard. Allin did a promo saying he hopes New York was worth it and Allin ran away because the Don Callis Family was chasing him. Allin literally ran out a door to get away from the Don Callis Family.
Analysis: It was an okay promo from Knight. Allin showing up to go after Knight made sense in the story since Knight attacked Allin at Double or Nothing last month.
(Commercial)
Mark Briscoe was shown talking to AEW Owner Tony Khan in the back. Tony said whatever Mark was saying was a good plan and they shook hands. Mark left for his match.
Pac vs. Mark Briscoe
It was Mark in control early on as he sent Pac out of the ring. Mark hit the Cactus Elbow from the apron to the floor. Pac regained the advantage on the floor with a Brainbuster through a chair. Ouch. They went on a PIP break.
(Commercial)
It was Mark in control with a cross arm sitout slam off the turnbuckle for a two count. When Pac threw some kicks, Mark didn’t sell it. Pac hit a German Suplex that Mark actually sold a bit. They did a tumbling spot over the top to the floor as Mark suplexed Pac over the top, and they both flipped over to the floor. Mark went for a Froggy Bow, but Pac blocked it with his knees. Pac hit a belly-to-belly suplex into the turnbuckle. Pac went for a Shooting Star Press, but Mark blocked enough of it, and Mark hit a Jay Driller for the pinfall win after 12 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Mark Briscoe
Analysis: ***1/4 A good TV match between two talented veterans. I like Pac a lot, but he’s mostly used in spots like this to put over other wrestlers that are in rivalries, and they end up beating Pac to get a quality win. The finish came out of nowhere a bit, but I’m not surprised by the result.
Mark Briscoe did a post match promo saying he has a direct path to an AEW World Title match. Mark called out MJF. The music of MJF hit.
(Commercial)
Let’s Hear from MJF and Mark Briscoe
The AEW World Champion, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, appeared in the crowd to tell Mark that he is not a great listener. MJF claimed he is the final word and the law here in AEW. MJF added that there’s nobody more important than him, so his final word is “No.” MJF told the fans to respect him for protecting the World Title from Mark. MJF said that Mark has friends, but MJF said that friends are a liability. MJF said he had the most important thing – money, and money talks. The trio of Jay Lethal, Lee Johnson and Blake Christian attacked Mark, but Mark was able to beat them up. The idea is that MJF paid this trio to beat up Mark. The trio of Lethal, Johnson and Christian were in the same. The Conglomeration saved their buddy Briscoe and they cleared the ring.
Mark informed MJF that he knows something Max doesn’t know. Max said that MJF is not the boss, he’s an asshole. Mark said that Tony Khan is the boss. Mark said that he talked to Tony Khan and there’s going to be a 6-on-6 Steel Cage Match at Forbidden Door. If Mark’s team wins, then he gets a guaranteed shot at the AEW World Title. MJF wasn’t happy about it.
Analysis: It’s a creative way to have MJF in a match at Forbidden Door while also giving him a bit of a break since he’s dealing with an injury. You can hide more in a tag team match, so that’s why it is being done that way. I don’t expect MJF to lose the title to Briscoe whenever that happens.
Andrade El Idolo made his entrance for singles action and stared at MJF since Andrade wants the AEW World Title.
Orange Cassidy vs. Andrade El Idolo (w/Don Callis)
Don Callis joined the commentary team. They did a comedy spot early on with Andrade taking off his pants to reveal his shorts, so then Orange did the same thing, but he had jeans on underneath the wins in the ring. Andrade sent Orange out of the ring to take control as the match went on a break.
(Commercial)
Andrade got some offense going. Rush was in the crowd with a phone and said “He knows,” so Andrade kept asking, “How you know?” This allowed Orange to get back into it with a DDT on the floor. When Orange went up top, Andrade tripped him up. Andrade hit the running knees for a two count. Orange hit a punch to the face while Andrade ran at him. Andrade hit Orange with forearms and Orange did his comedy strikes, which are so stupid to watch. Andrade hit Orange with a forearm that didn’t knock him down, but an Orange superkick can knock Andrade down. They went onto the ramp as Orange jumped off the turnbuckle with a diving DDT on the ramp. Callis: “Why is Remsburg allowing that?” There’s a lot worse referring in other matches in AEW, Don. Orange jumped off the top with another diving DDT for two. Andrade hit a running back elbow and the DM cradle neckbreaker for the pinfall win. It went 15 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Andrade El Idolo
Analysis: *** A solid TV match between two midcarders with Andrade in the spot of a guy who may get a push to the main event scene, while Orange is usually a level below that. I didn’t really like some of the comedy bits that Orange did or Rush getting involved, but it ended up as a clean win for Andrade, which is the right result.
Post match, Andrade said he had one question: “How you know?”
Analysis: What a bizarre catchphrase.
Will Ospreay was shown after getting his win over Mark Davis on AEW Dynamite last week. Will’s fiancée, Alex Windsor, was emotional after losing last week and hugged him, so Will pushed the camera away.
The AEW Women’s World Champion, Thekla, was featured in a video package talking about how great she is and mentioned her past when she got fired from Stardom in Japan. Thekla said she’s declaring death to Stardom. Okay.
(Commercial)
Jon Moxley was backstage with the Death Riders. Moxley tried to talk about what happened with Shane Taylor and his friends. Marina Shafir spoke about Trish Adora a bit. Daniel Garcia suggested a 5-on-5 Street Fight against Shane Taylor Promotions on Collision.
Analysis: That should be a win for the Death Riders. I don’t watch Collision, but I’ll read about it.
AEW Women’s Owen Hart Cup Foundation Tournament Quarterfinals: Skye Blue vs. Maya World
There was barely a reaction to either wrestler. Maya’s brother passed away earlier in the week. Maya is stepping into this matchup for Saree, who is from Japan. Blue ran into the boots of Maya, who kicked her down hard to the mat. Blue hit a draping neckbreaker onto the ramp. They went to a PIP break.
(Commercial)
The athletic Maya tripped up Blue and hit a double stomp to the chest. Maya connected with a German Suplex. Blue trapped Maya against the turnbuckle and hit a superkick. Blue nearly dropped Maya on her neck during a Ligerbomb for a two count. Maya hit a running knee strike. Blue and Maya did the “stand and throw strikes” routine that takes place in nearly every AEW match. Maya hit an enziguri and German Suplex, which was not sold, so that Blue could hit a running knee, and then Blue decided to sell for a bit. Maya and Blue each got pin attempts. Blue hit a Cutter off the shoulders for a two count. Blue went for a move, but Maya countered it and hit a jackknife on Blue for the pinfall win. Excalibur was screaming, “What an upset,” for Maya World, even though I don’t recall Skye Blue winning many matches. Blue has more experience in AEW, though. It went about 11 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Maya World
Analysis: *** A rare upset win in AEW, which books so many favorites to go over the wrestlers who are not on the same level. I think it’s cool that Maya World won, considering her brother passed away over the last week, and it was an emotional time for her, so it was a nice feel-good moment. I don’t know about Excalibur screaming about it like some major upset, but Sky Blue is more known than World, so at least in that sense, it felt like an upset a bit.
The win means Maya World will face Athena in the Women’s Owen Hart Cup Semifinals. Mercedes Mone is facing Hazuki in the other Owen Hart Cup Semifinal match.
Analysis: It seems like they’ll go with an Athena-Mercedes Mone finals in the Women’s Owen Hart Cup. I could see Mone winning as a babyface and taking the AEW Women’s World Title from Thekla at All In. Mone doesn’t “need” to win, but she’s yet to hold the AEW World Title, so I can see it happening. I think the women’s tournament field is a lot weaker than the men’s, and the whole thing was poorly booked. If the reward is a shot at the Women’s World Title at the biggest show of the year – All In London – then why are some of top women not in the tournament? It’s strange from a booking standpoint.
A clip aired about NJPW’s Zack Sabre Jr. talking about how he’s going to be part of AEW-NJPW Forbidden Door. Sabre called out a man who he hasn’t faced in the US and he called out Kenny Omega, while wondering if Omega is still the best.
The announcers said that it has been accepted: Kenny Omega vs. Zack Sabre Jr. at Forbidden Door.
Analysis: The AEW-NJPW theme for Forbidden Door has lost a lot of steam since NJPW has lost a lot of their top talent to AEW In the last five years, but Omega-Sabre is a good one for sure.
The Swerve Strickland-Brody King match was next.
(Commercial0
Don Callis was featured in a backstage setting with the Don Callis Family. The AEW World Champion MJF walked in to talk to Callis. MJF said that he needs some of Don’s top guys to team with him. MJF showed Callis a briefcase full of money, so Callis agreed to it. Kevin Knight, the TNT Champion, said he’ll team up with MJF, but only if Knight gets a shot at the AEW World Title after Forbidden Door. MJF said you got it. MJF said if Knight loses, then there isn’t going to be another rematch. Knight agreed. MJF said he’ll see the Don Callis Family around. Callis said all Knight has to do is take care of Darby Allin. The rest of the guys left, so Andrade El Idolo talked to Callis, wondering about his title shot. Callis promised Andrade that he would get his title shot, and they shook hands. Andrade shook his head as if he knew Don was lying.
Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Semifinals: Swerve Strickland vs. Brody King
The winner will face Will Ospreay in the Finals of the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. That match will be at Forbidden Door on June 28th.
King started with some strikes. They went onto the apron by the ramp, where King grabbed a choke, but Swerve broke free. King sent Swerve face first into the turnbuckle. King hit a cannonball off the apron onto Swerve on the floor. King tried a cannonball on the floor, Nana distracted King and Swerve hit a drop toe hold onto a steel chair. Swerve jumped off the apron and hit a Swerve Stomp to King’s chest while King was on a chair on the floor. They went to a PIP break.
The match continued with King battling Swerve by the turnbuckle, so Nana held Swerve’s foot to stop a superplex. The referee, Aubrey Edwards, didn’t see it. Swerve slipped out of a superplex attempt and kicked King, who had taken a turnbuckle pad off as well. Swerve hit a legsweep from the middle ropes. Swerve went for a running kick, King avoided it and Swerve hit a boot to the face. Swerve hit a running Swerve Stomp for a two count. It looked like King lifted Swerve to do that. King left the ring, Swerve went after him and King gave Swerve a Choke Bomb onto the commentary table. The referee Edwards left the ring to talk to the wrestlers instead of counting the wrestlers out. They showed AEW World Champion MJF watching on a TV backstage. King rolled Swerve back in the ring for a two count. Swerve elbowed King and King chopped Swerve to knock him back. King hit a belly-to-back suplex, Swerve hit a House Call Kick and King hit a lariat for a two count. King grabbed Swerve with a Sleeper attempt, but Swerve backed King into the turnbuckle, where the steel turnbuckle was exposed. Swerve sent King head first into the exposed steel. That led to King doing a blade job and he was busted open heavily. Swerve hit a House Call kick to the head, but King was staggering on his feet and didn’t go down. Swerve went up top and did a House Call kick to the back of the head for just a two count. The fans popped big for the kickout by King. After King powered out of a move, he hit a Death Valley Driver into the turnbuckle. Prince Nana was on the apron, so King grabbed him with a brief Sleeper. King hit a cannonball on Swerve and a Piledriver got a two count. King went for a lift, Swerve got out of it, Nana hit King with an object that the referee didn’t see and Swerve hit a Vertebreaker for the pinfall win. It went about 15 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Swerve Strickland
The win by Swerve Strickland means he’ll face Will Ospreay in the finals of the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament. That will be at Forbidden Door on June 28th.
Analysis: **** A great main event as expected with some big moves from both guys, a busted open King and then a cheap shot from Nana that helped Swerve get the win. It’s fitting for a heel like Swerve to cheat to win, and I liked the use of the exposed turnbuckle too. It would have been nice to see King get a meaningful win here, but when this tournament started, it was obvious that there’d be a Strickland-Ospreay final, and now it’s happening at Forbidden Door.
Swerve Strickland celebrated his win to end the show.
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Three Stars of the Show
- Swerve Strickland
- Brody King
- Mark Briscoe, Jon Moxley
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The Scoreboard
This Week: 7 out of 10
Last Week: 7.25
2026 Average: 7.60
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Final Thoughts on AEW Dynamite
A solid show overall, but also weaker than most Dynamite episodes in recent months. The Swerve/King match stood out the most in the ring, while most of the other matches were fine AEW matches, but nothing else really stood out.
There were parts of this show where the crowd was a lot quieter than most AEW events. I’m not sure if it’s due to the audio in the building or if it was the result of the crowd having less interest in this card.
Here’s the updated lineup for AEW-NJPW Forbidden Door on June 28th.
* Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Finals: Will Ospreay vs. Swerve Strickland – Winner Receives AEW World Title shot at AEW All In London.
* Steel Cage Match 6-on-6: MJF, Kevin Knight, and four wrestlers TBA vs. Mark Briscoe and five wrestlers TBA -Briscoe gets a shot at the AEW World Championship if his team wins.
* Women’s Owen Hart Cup tournament final for a shot at the AEW Women’s Championship at All In
* Kenny Omega vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
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Thanks for reading. Go Toronto Blue Jays. You can contact me using any of the methods below.
John Canton
Email: [email protected]
Twitter/X: @johnreport