The John Report: AEW Dynamite 06/24/26 Review
This is AEW Dynamite, featuring Jon Moxley’s Death Riders facing Brodido & Mistico, Konosuke Takeshita battling Ricochet, and more.
It’s the final AEW Dynamite episode before the AEW Forbidden Door PPV takes place on Sunday, June 28th. The door doesn’t seem that forbidden since there are barely any wrestlers from other promotions this year. It’s time to dump the Forbidden Door concept.
I spent most of my Wednesday helping somebody move and then I was exhausted by the evening. When I watched Dynamite last night, I did so on the couch and had no interest in typing a long review. I’ll do a condensed review of the show. I figure 95% of you don’t read the play-by-play anyway, so this is probably the best way to do it.
This was AEW Dynamite episode #351 from the Rio Rancho Events Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. 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 Nigel McGuinness.
Jon Moxley and the Death Riders got ready backstage for their match. Will Ospreay joined in and even fell down after doing their group hug routine. Will clearly did it on purpose, but people online take everything seriously and will think it was a “botch” or something.
Death Riders – Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli & Wheeler Yuta (w/Marina Shafir) defeated Brodido – Brody King & Bandido and Mistico by pinfall
It was cool to see Mistico teaming up with Brodido, who are one of my favorite tag teams in AEW, even if they are just singles wrestlers who happen to team up sometimes. The match featured the usual AEW tag team match format, with illegal guys being in the ring for too long. King did some lucha libre style wrestling with a double arm drag on Claudio and Mox at the same time. The Brodido and Mistico team all hit suicide dives going into a break. Mistico was on fire with some incredible moves, including a sunset flip into a pin for two. They did the traditional “go in the ring, hit a move and bump to the floor” sequence. Shafir distracted referee Aubrey Edwards, so Claudio hit King with the Continental Title to the head, and Moxley got a ROLLUP OF DEATH~! on King for the pinfall win. It went about 13 minutes.
Analysis: ***1/2 (Out of 5*) It was an entertaining tag team match between a bunch of dudes who can work and are over, along with Wheeler Yuta. I’m actually shocked that Yuta didn’t take the fall to lose for his team. Instead, it was a cheap win for Moxley. The finish wasn’t that creative. I figured King would kick out, but the ROLLUP OF DEATH~! was too much. It didn’t really matter who won this match. There’s not much of a story going into Moxley/Bandido at Forbidden Door.
There was an interview with five members of Team Briscoe talking about how they were going to win over Team MJF at Forbidden Door. Orange Cassidy said they will all have backpacks at Forbidden Door. Kyle O’Reilly said that Mark Briscoe will address the crowd later.
Survival of the Fittest TBS Championship Qualifying Match: Harley Cameron defeated Marina Shafir by pinfall
The Survival of the Fittest Match is like a 6-person Elimination Match and the winner will be the new TBS Champion. That match is next week on Dynamite. Cameron was dressed as Supergirl and got some offense going with a cross body block on the floor. Shafir was in control going into a break. Shafir remained in control for several more minutes. Cameron applied a single-leg crab submission, Shafir countered it into a rear-naked sleeper, and Cameron flipped out of it into a pin for the win. It went about 8 minutes.
Analysis: **3/4 It was one of those matches where Shafir was in control for most of it, but Harley was able to counter a submission move to pick up the win.
A video aired about the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Final with Mercedes Mone facing Maya World.
Will Ospreay defeated ELP by pinfall
Will and ELP (El Phantasmo) have wrestled many times, according to Excalibur. These guys are great athletes and Will sent ELP out of the ring, followed by a slingshot cross body block on ELP on the floor. ELP hit a back body drop on the apron and a springboard moonsault onto Will on the floor. That led to a break. Will bounced off the ropes with a corkscrew kick to the head. Will and ELP hit Stunner/Cutter moves because wrestlers in this era love those moves. Will hit a Spanish Fly for a two count, and ELP hit a hurricanrana for two. Will hit a Styles Clash without a pin attempt. Will hit the Hidden Blade elbow to the back of the head for the pinfall win. It went 11 minutes.
Analysis: ***1/2 It was an entertaining match as usual for Will Ospreay, but there was never a point where I thought Will was going to lose to ELP. They got nearly 11 minutes because it’s AEW and they like giving matches time, but perhaps it would be better if Will won more decisively. Will winning decisively and clean was the right way to end it. This was basically a warm-up match for Will at Forbidden Door.
Swerve Strickland made his entrance right after Will Ospreay’s win, so it was a tease of their match at Forbidden Door. I think Will should win.
Swerve Strickland (w/Prince Nana) defeated Daniel Garcia by pinfall
The powerful Swerve was in control early and hit a running boot to knock Garcia out of the ring. Garcia finally got some offense by trapping Swerve against the ring apron. Garcia hit a running dropkick against the barricade. When Garcia tried it again, Swerve hit a House Call kick on the floor. They went to break there. Garcia got a bit of offense, and the announcers tried to put him over as somebody who had a shot to win, but most of the audience knows better. Swerve hit an impressive powerslam for a two count. Garcia hit a Styles Clash for two because I guess it’s Styles Clash night. After Swerve hit a House Call kick, it got a two count. Swerve hit his own version of Ospreay’s Hidden Blade elbow for the pinfall win. It went about 13 minutes.
Analysis: ***1/4 It was a warmup match just like the match before it. Once again, I don’t think Swerve should need 13 minutes to beat Daniel Garcia, who is a guy that normally loses to people of Swerve’s caliber. I think Swerve is a heel, but he doesn’t wrestle as a heel throughout the whole match.
After the match, Swerve beat up Garcia some more and wanted to snap his arm, but Will Ospreay made the save. Nana tripped up Will, so Swerve hit a House Call kick to knock Will down. Garcia saved Will, so Swerve hit a Vertebreaker on Garcia. Will grabbed a chair, so Swerve left.
Analysis: Swerve was heelish there at least. I think Will should beat Swerve at Forbidden Door to get the AEW World Title match at All In.
A video package aired about the Mark Briscoe-MJF feud.
The AEW World Champion, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, was backstage with the Don Callis Family since MJF is teaming with five of them at Forbidden Door in the Steel Cage Match. They all talked about how great they are, while Okada simply said, “Bitch.” Kyle Fletcher is coming for Konosuke Takeshita. Andrade El Idolo wanted to speak, but MJF rudely did a promo instead. MJF and Don revealed a “Team DCMJF” shirt that featured MJF and Don comically flexing together. Awkward.
Zack Sabre Jr. (w/Bad Dude Tito & Mikey Nicholls) defeated “Jungle” Jack Perry by submission
Sabre has a match at Forbidden Door, while Perry does not, so that tells you the result before it begins. Sabre used his technical wrestling skills to work over Perry’s left arm. Perry got some offense with a Sliced Bread neckbreaker, but then Sabre applied an armbar while on the floor. Perry hit an impressive moonsault onto Sabre on the floor. Sabre kept going for submission moves on the left arm and Perry hit a Powerbomb to counter. Perry hit a sitout Powerbomb for a two count. Sabre hooked the left knee and pulled back on the left arm, so Perry quit. It went about 13 minutes,
Winners by submission: Zack Sabre Jr.
Analysis: ***1/4 I liked the psychology in the match with Sabre working on the left arm a lot and Perry sold it for most of the match. It was another Forbidden Door warmup match like the wins by Swerve and Ospreay earlier. Sabre winning was done to make him look strong going into his match with Kenny Omega at Forbidden Door.
The Young Bucks – Matt & Nick Jackson defeated TMDK – Bad Dude Tito & Mikey Nicholls by pinfall
The Bucks hit a double-team bulldog (with a high five) early on. There was some offense from TMDK, but they really had no shot here. The Bucks hit a double superkick on Tito to send him out of the ring, and Nick kicked Tito on the floor. The Bucks hit their TK Driver for the win. It went about 4 minutes.
Analysis: ** A dominant win for the Young Bucks since they are in a tag team match at Forbidden Door. It’s nice to see AEW can actually book shorter matches sometimes.
Post match, TMDK attacked The Young Bucks. Kenny Omega made the save with Jack Perry. Omega and Sabre exchanged strikes. Omega hit a Snapdragon Suplex on Sabre, so then Sabre was saved by Tito and left.
Kenny Omega did a promo saying that he takes that as a warmup. Omega said at Forbidden Door that it will be him against Sabre, and Omega said he’s out for redemption after he wins. Omega said that when it comes to Sunday, everybody will forget about Sabre like they did last year. Omega’s music played, so Sabre had a line telling Omega to stay out of hospital…darling.
Analysis: The build for Omega-Sabre has been weak and the promos haven’t helped, but it should be an outstanding match. That’s all AEW cares about.
A video package aired about AEW Women’s World Champion Thekla facing Stardom’s Starlight Kid at Forbidden Door. Thekla does a good job as a chaotic heel champion.
Survival of the Fittest TBS Championship Qualifying Match: Queen Aminata defeated Red Velvet by pinfall
It was an even matchup most of the way. Velvet hit a scissors kick to the upper back/neck, going into a PIP break. Aminata showed off her power with a slingshot reverse suplex. Aminata hit a running boot to the face by the turnbuckle and that was followed by a double foot stomp off the top. Velvet hit a hurricanrana off the ropes and followed up with a Frog Splash off the top for two. Velvet missed a spin kick when Aminata moved and Aminata hit a headbutt. Aminata hit a running kick to the head called Off With Her Head for the pinfall win. It went about 10 minutes.
Analysis: **3/4 A solid TV match to give Queen Aminata the win. Red Velvet has improved a lot and spends most of her time in ROH. I don’t think either woman will be pushed that much in AEW moving forward.
The Young Bucks were interviewed by Renee Paquette, who mentioned their triple threat tag team match at Forbidden Door. Matt Jackson said they are on their way to the top of the tag team division. Nick Jackson said they will superkick that Forbidden Door down. As that was going, Adam Copeland & Christian Cage were beating up The Dogs in the backstage area. David Finlay and Clark Connors fought back with some spray to the face and a low blow. Finlay choked Cope with a cord and Connors did the same to Cage as well. The Dogs let go at that point and left. Nobody tried to break this up.
Analysis: There are backstage fights where people break them up quickly, but for this one, nobody seemed to give a shit. Anyway, it was just a way to get some heat on The Dogs ahead of their Forbidden Door match against Cope & Cage. Cheap heat.
AEW International Championship: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Ricochet
It was announced that everybody is banned from ringside. I’ll go play-by-play here for the main event. Ricochet threw a jacket on Takeshita and hit a knee smash. Ricochet hit a twisting dive over the top onto Takeshita. Ricochet followed up with a missile dropkick. Ricochet hit the Sasuke Special backflip over the top onto Takeshita. Back in the ring, Ricochet hit a springboard 450 Splash for two. Takeshita got some offense with a running boot and a leaping lariat. Ricochet tripped Takeshita into the turnbuckle, a 619 kick, and a running SSP for a two count. They went on a PIP break.
Takeshita went for a running knee, Ricochet avoided it and Takeshita went over the top to the floor. Ricochet hit a springboard dropkick to knock Takeshita down from the apron to the floor. Ricochet tried a diving attack on the floor, but Takeshita caught him and hit an Exploder Suplex on the floor. Back in the ring, Ricochet hit an enziguri kick to the head, and Takeshita followed up with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. They exchanged some strikes as Ricochet hit a superkick. Takeshita countered a Ricochet move and hit his version of a sitout piledriver. Takeshita hit a Wheelbarrow Suplex. Ricochet hit a kick to the back and a Michinoku Driver for a two count. Ricochet hit a running knee smash to the jaw. Ricochet went up top and hit a Shooting Star Press for two. The fans correctly chanted, “This is awesome” for them. Ricochet went to the top, but Takeshita was there to trip him up. Takeshita went for a German Suplex off the top, so Ricochet did a backflip onto his feet. Takeshita hit an elbow strike. Takeshita held onto the tights for a Powerbomb that got two. Ricochet hid behind the referee and hit an uppercut headbutt. Ricochet kicked Takeshita in the head. Ricochet hit the Ricosault for two. Takeshita came back with a lariat. Takeshita hit a power drive knee smash. Takshita hit Raging Fire for the pinfall win after 14 minutes.
Winner by pinfall: Konosuke Takeshita
Analysis: **** A four-star main event (out of 5). Excellent match. Ricochet got plenty of offense, but it’s not like Konosuke Takeshita is going to lose his title in a random Dynamite match so soon after he won it. At least Ricochet has a lot of credibility as somebody who could win a match like this, so the nearfalls were believable towards the end of the match. Anyway, Takeshita is in the 12-man tag Steel Cage Match at Forbidden Door, so it made sense for him to get the win and get some momentum.
Let’s Hear from Mark Briscoe
It was main event promo time for Mark Briscoe. Mark said that at Forbidden Door, there will be Steel Cage Warfare with 12 men in one cage. Mark said they are ready to throw down. Mark talked about how The Conglomeration beat The Death Riders in the last Blood & Guts Match. I don’t remember it. Mark said that night was about the thrill of the fight. Mark said that when his team wins at Forbidden Door, he will get a shot at the AEW World Title held by the “Scum of the Earth” MJF.
Mark said that if he wants something, then he’s going to earn it, so he’s going to earn the title shot. Mark said that MJF thinks Mark is not World Championship material, and that’s okay because it’s America, where you can have any opinion you want. Mark said he beat MJF’s ass in the past, and he can do it again. Mark said he has his brothers who will fight for him. Mark said that MJF has the Don Callis Family, but they don’t give a damn about Max.
Don Callis appeared in the aisle. Mark said he hopes MJF can hear him…and there’s MJF attacking Briscoe from behind.
Kyle Fletcher went into the ring to save MJF with a suplex and a Brainbuster. Takeshita was back in to hit Fletcher with an elbow. Takeshita hit a Raging Fire on Fletcher. Okada went in with a Rainmaker on Takeshita. Kyle O’Reilly went in with an Ankle Lock on Okada. Kevin Knight jumped off the top with a springboard lariat on O’Reilly. Darby Allin went in and hit a Scorpion Death Drop on Knight. Jake Doyle saved Knight and hit a huge slam on Allin. Roderick Strong went into the ring, so Doyle hit him with a clothesline. Orange Cassidy went into the ring with an Orange Punch. Orang hit another Orange Punch and Strong hit an Angle Slam. MJF went into the ring and hit a low blow on Orange. It looked like Mark was going for a Jay Driller, so Andrade El Idolo ran the ropes and hit a clothesline on Mark. MJF and Andrade argued, so Callis reminded Andrade about the money. MJF charged with the Dynamite Diamond Ring, Mark moved and MJF hit Andrade instead. Mark hit the Jay Driller on MJF. Mark Briscoe celebrated with his buddies. End show.
Analysis: This went on too long, and it was so silly with the guys running in to hit one move, and then rolling out of the ring. None of them were able to get back in there again? It’s a bit silly. Mark Briscoe got the upper hand on MJF because his team works together better. I think Briscoe’s team should win at Forbidden Door, then that sets up Briscoe challenging MJF for the AEW World Title at the July PPV Redemption, and MJF retains there. That leads to MJF against Ospreay at All In London.
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Three Stars of the Show
- Konosuke Takeshita
- Will Ospreay
- Ricochet
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The Scoreboard
This Week: 7.5 out of 10
Last Week: 7.5
2026 Average: 7.57
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Final Thoughts on AEW Dynamite
A typical good show by AEW. A wrestling-heavy show, as usual, from AEW. They didn’t have long talking segments. It was a card full of matches featuring guys who have matches at Forbidden Door and they beat people who don’t have matches. That meant there wasn’t much drama about the matches on this show.
With that said, I think they promoted most of the Forbidden Door card fairly well. I just don’t think there’s much of an AEW/NJPW story any more.
Here’s the updated lineup for AEW 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, Kyle Fletcher, Kazuchika Okada, Jack Doyle & Andrade El Idolo vs. Mark Briscoe, Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, Darby Allin & Konosuke Takeshita (Briscoe gets a shot at MJF’s AEW World Championship if his team wins.)
* Women’s Owen Hart Cup Tournament Finals: Mercedes Money vs. Maya World or Athena – Winner Receives an AEW Women’s World Championship Match at All In London
* Kenny Omega vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
* AEW Women’s World Championship: Thekla (c) vs. Starlight Kid
* AEW Continental Championship: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Bandido
* AEW World Tag Team Championships: Adam Copeland & Christian Cage (c) vs. The Dogs – David Finlay & Clark Connors
* IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Shota Umino (c) vs. Pac
* The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) vs. El Sky Team (Místico and Máscara Dorada) vs. Unbound Co. (Shingo Takagi and Titán)
* AEW Women’s Tag Team Championships: Megan Bayne & Lena Kross (c) vs. Thunder Rosa & Olympia – PRE-SHOW
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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