By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@jakebarnett)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 361)
Allen, Texas, at Credit Union of Texas Event Center
Simulcast live September 2, 2026, on TBS and HBO Max
Excalibur joined in on commentary and announced that we would hear from both Will Ospreay and Mercedes Mone. He then ran down the rest of the announced card before throwing to a video package that recapped All In 2026. Justin Roberts stood in the ring after the video package, and introduced Will Ospreay as the new AEW World Champion.
Ospreay grabbed a microphone and greeted the Texas crowd and took in a “You deserve it” chant. He apologized for looking rough and said he’d been on a bender since Sunday. Ospreay said Sunday was amazing and he struggled to find the words to express his gratitude. He thanked the people who stuck with him since the beginning and promised the crowd not to let them down. Ospreay mentioned Kenny Omega, and said he’d been the best wrestler in the world for 10 years. He then said Omega might be a better wrestler 364 days of the year, but it only takes one to become Champion.
The crowd chanted “One more time” as Ospreay said their record in matches was 2-2. Ospreay said he was satisfied with being his equal, but if Kenny isn’t satisfied he can name the time and place to sort it out. He said the AEW Championship was a lifelong dream and rattled off a list of former champions he idolized like Chris Jericho and Bryan Danielson. Ospreay said he struggled to find the confidence to call himself “the guy”, but this title said he’s the best in the world and the AEW World Champion.
He then said if anyone wants to take it from him, they’ll have to walk through the same fire he did and he’d see them at the end of the line. Ospreay shouted out the United Empire and said he was proud of what they were doing in Japan, but he was going to start looking and start a new chapter in AEW. Ricochet interrupted Ospreay and said they had unfinished business. He said they were forever intertwined in Pro Wrestling and called his match with Kenny Omega spectacular.
Ricochet went on to say they’ve known each other for years, and he knows that he wouldn’t be where he is without him. He then demanded the first opportunity to take the title from around his waist. The Dogs then walked out and Gabe Kidd told Ospreay he took his chance to be the first English IWGP and AEW World Champion, but that would pale in comparison to what he’d take from him. Kidd proposed a 5 on 1 attack and Ospreay was quickly backed up by the United Empire. Ospreay challenged them to a 4 on 4 match for the main event, and it was accepted.
A video package aired for the New Level debuting at All In. Swerve Strickland made his ring entrance, followed by New Level. They were then followed by The Rascalz.
1. Swerve Stickland, Kofi, and Austin Creed vs. Desmond Xavier, Zachary Wentz, and Myron Reed: Strickland and Reed started the match. Myron showed off his speed early on, but serve shut him down with a slam and a big boot. Creed then tagged in and was quickly followed by Xavier. They traded some quick pinfall attempts to no avail. Woods eventually put down Xavier with a leg sweet and a running senton. Kofi tagged in and performed a double team splash on Wentz.
Reed entered the ring and the Rascalz quickly recovered and took control with a lungblower and senton combo on Swerve. The action spilled to the floor where Creed and Swerve landed a pair of tandem DDTs. Kofi then tagged in and then splashed the Rascalz on the floor…[c]
My Take: There were 30 minutes of nearly uninterrupted content to open the show. Ospreay’s promo was fine. He didn’t mention MJF at all in his list of former AEW World Champions, so expect that to come up later. Ricochet and Kidd being the first out of the gate to have beef with him is a little underwhelming, but here’s hoping it’s one night only.
Creed delivered a Liger Bomb to Wentz and crawled for a tag to his corner. Reed and Kofi tagged into the match, and Kofi quickly took control with rapid fire kicks and a boom drop. Creed landed a DDT and Swerve entered to deliver a delayed vertical suplex. He made a cover, but Wentz broke it up. The Rascalz knocked Creed and Kofi off the apron and landed a triple team combo into a German Suplex on Swerve. Kofi broke up the fall and landed a split legged dropkick.
After a series of dives on the floor, Creed stood on the apron and celebrated. Myron Reed took him down to the floor for a DDT, but then managed to take down Swerve at the time with a head scissors in an impressive display. Swerve replied with a house call kick. Woods and Kofi delivered a double stomp into a slam on Xavier and then Swerve delivered a House Call for the win.
The New Level and Swerve defeated The Rascalz at 13:02
After the match, Swerve and New Level celebrated and headed to the back. The Young Bucks music hit and they headed to the ring to walk past New Level. We’ll hear from them up next…[c]
My Take: A fun match with some impressive spots. There wasn’t much suspense obviously but this was about showcasing the new level and it worked on that front.
The Young Bucks stood in the ring and Matt said everyone had seen what happened at All In. He said he wasn’t going to complain about being scammed and cheated because they’ve done far worse to people in this company. He admonished Cope and Christian for beating them “that way” in a dream match, and asked them if they felt good about it. Matt demanded they come down to the ring and answer if they were happy about how it went down at All In.
FTR made their ring entrance instead. Stokely said they had already blown it twice, and now they were out their begging for another title shot. Dax grabbed the microphone and trash talked the crowd a bit before saying that “Daddy was home” and now it was time to take a step back and watch the Daddies become the 4-time AEW Champions. Nick said they both have beaten each other before, but the one thing the Young Bucks have never done is scream “I quit” into a microphone.
Cope and Christian then walked out and said nobody asks how you won, they ask who won. Christian said they were supposed to be the old men, but they have faced both FTR and The Young Bucks and walked up with their hands raised as the AEW World Tag Team Champions. He said they should be embarrassed enough to take a 50% pay cut and go work somewhere else. Cope said it was his job to be the voice of reason.
He said he saw what happened at Wembley after the fact and he wasn’t happy about it. He offered to make it right by challenging both teams to a match at All Out in a match that may involve chairs and tables, but it will damn sure involve ladders. The announce team then called it a “Chairs, Ladders and Tables Match”.
Backstage, Ospreay spoke to United Empire and about their fifth guy. Callum Newman said he already had a fifth guy, and that he had already been in United Empire for a minute. The door opened behind them and Andrade El Idolo walked through. Andrade congratulated Ospreay, and Ospreay said they had to get ready because they were on in about an hour.
In the arena, Darby Allin skated to the ring, but was blindsided on his way to the ring by Mark Davis. He then got wrapped up in the ring apron and beaten down on the floor. Davis then threw him over the barricade into some chairs near the timekeeper’s area…[c]
My Take: I could live without all the WWE references, but the tag promo was fine. I’m honestly surprised we didn’t get this match at All In, but I guess they needed to save some key matches for All Out which is an abbreviated build by AEW standards.
They continued to brawl in the crowd. Darby climbed to the second level of the arena and dove onto Davis with a Coffin Drop. They then brawled back into the ringside area. Darby hit Davis with a skateboard, but he replied with a hard lariat. Davis then tossed Allin into the announce desk and back into the ring.
2. Mark Davis vs. Darby Allin for the AEW TNT Championship: Davis hurled Darby across the ring into the turnbuckles. Davis easily fended off Darby’s feeble counterattacks and trucked him with another huge lariat…[c]
Darby tied up Davis using the tag rope in the corner, but managed to powerbomb him with one hand to shut down his comeback. Davis then delivered a cannonball into the corner and dragged Darby into the center of the ring for a near fall. Darby ducked a lariat and rolled up Davis for a two count. He then landed a Code Red a moment later for a near fall. He then sent Davis to the floor and delivered a missile dropkick from the top rope and sent Davis into the commentary table.
Aubrey Edwwards made a 9 count, and Darby landed a Coffin Drop as Davis got back into the ring. He followed up with a second one and got the win.
Darby Allin defeated Mark Davis at 9:56
RPG Vice made their way out quickly after the bell and assaulted Allin. Steve Borden then ran down to make the save. Mark Davis got to his feet and Borden challenged him to get into the ring. Josh Alexander made his return and assaulted Borden from behind. He then applied an Ankle Lock to Allin while Davis delivered a piledriver to Borden. The Callis Family stood tall to close the segment.
Footage was shown of Andrade stealing a win from underneath MJF at All In. MJF delivered a promo after his match at All In and complained about his situation. He said Will Ospreay is the problem with his life, and if anyone had gotten screwed like he did at Beach Break people would protest. He then launched into a conspiracy about how he’s hated because of his greatness, and fans can’t handle his superiority to their favorites. MJF then said payback is coming, and it’s a bitch, and Ospreay will never see it coming. He said it could happen anytime and when he does, people are going to be begging for it.
In the arena, Megan Bayne made her entrance, followed by Alex Windsor.
3. Alex Windsor vs. Megan Bayne: Bayern controlled the early going with her power offense. She landed a fallaway slam, but Windsor low bridged her to the outside a moment later. Window then delivered a cannonball off the apron and slapped hands with the crowd…[c]
My Take: Allin vs. Davis was a chaotic but enjoyable walking brawl. I don’t know why we need Josh Alexander in the Callis family. It seems like a faction made up of guys who lose all the time and maintain some semblance of credibility by standing tall in meaningless post match attacks.
Windsor landed a series of lariats, followed by a dropkick and a DDT near the apron for a two count. She then landed a diving clothesline from the second rope for another two count. Both women traded heavy strikes and Bayne put down Windor with a running lariat for a near fall of her own. Bayne managed a Falcon Arrow for another near fall. Windsor fired back with a sit out powerbomb for a two count. Both women brawled on the apron. Bayne delivered a big boot that sent Windsor to the floor. Windsor recovered and swept Bayne to the floor.
Both women landed a double clothesline on the floor. Hayter and Lena Kross kicked off a brawl that distracted the referee. Bayne cracked Windsor with one of the Tag Title Belts, and then followed up with a running powerbomb for the win.
Megan Bayne defeated Alex Windsor at 10:43
After the match, Hayter grabbed the title belt from the floor and chased off Kross and Bayne. Footage was then shown of Chris Jericho’s performance in the Casino Gauntlet match. He was then interviewed backstage and said that he didn’t win on Sunday, but he didn’t lost because Nick Wayne got pinned. Wayne walked up and reminded Jericho that he knocked him out of the match. Jericho said he’s an impressive 21 year old but he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. He then called him a douche bag for wearing a puka shell necklace in 2026. They brawled a bit and Wayne kicked Jericho in the nuts. Mercedes Mone is up next…[c]
My Take: I assume we’re getting a Women’s Tag Title rematch at All Out. Here’s hoping they can add a personal vendetta to give it a little flavor.
Mercedes Mone made her ring entrance for her title celebration. She thanked the crowd for their chants and said she hadn’t stopped smiling since All In. Mercedes said when she came to AEW she told them that this was the only place that the Women’s Revolution could be globalized. She said she took a bet on herself and this is what happens when you stop asking for permission to be great. Mercedes said she became 13 belts Mone and made history on her own terms, and did something no one else has done before, and won Championship gold in 4 major companies.
She continued and said she had to leave Willow Nightingale behind to do it, and said she exposed her as a narcissistic bitch. Mercedes revealed her face from under her hat and veil, and she had a double black eye. Mercedes then thanked Willow for pushing her towards her destiny, and said she had done everything she said she was going to do. She said the entire women’s division was the kingdom of the CEO, and what she wants for the division doesn’t even exist yet, but now that she’s the Champion it will.
Thekla popped up on the microphone in the crowd and said she brought her own Tequila to celebrate with her. She said she likes Mercedes, and called her a legend and an icon in a mocking way. Mercedes said she has all the titles and accolades, but she’s never been Toxic. She thanked her for what she did to Willow and said she deserved it. Thekla then said she’s been swinging the title between her legs since Sunday, but reminded her nobody swings it bigger than Thekla.
She then took issue with Mercedes stealing her “dumb bitch” catchphrase, and said she might be the CEO but she doesn’t work for her. Thekla then toasted Mercedes and drank her tequila. She then told Mercedes to let her know when she’s ready to give her title back.
Backstage, Britt Baker and Persephone gave a promo. She said she came back for a guarantee, and that’s the greatness of Persephone. Baker said she had taken the division where no one has gone since, and Persephone would take it where it’s never gone before. Persephone said they had no weaknesses and would leave the rest of the division behind starting with her first title defense on Saturday.
In the arena, Jon Moxley made his entrance for the next match. He was followed by AR Fox.
4. AR Fox vs. Jon Moxley in a Continental Classic Eliminator: The match started out at a methodical pace. Things picked up when Fox sent Moxley to the floor. He launched himself off the ringpost and grazed Moxley with a flip dive to the floor. He then attempted a 450, but Moxley avoided it and sent Fox back to the floor with a dropkick…[c]
Moxley landed mounted punches in the corner and a series of lariats. Fox fired back with a cutter, and both men were slow to get up. Fox landed a lariat, and Moxley shrugged it off and begged for another. Fox ended up delivering a low dropkick and another cutter. He then went for a top rope senton, but Moxley got the knees up and landed a big lariat. Fox quickly replied with a lariat and a 450 splash for a near fall.
Fox attempted and overcomplicated sequence, but Moxley countered into a Sleeper and a Death Rider for the win.
Jon Moxley defeated AR Fox at 8:21
After the match, Jon Moxley celebrated and headed to the back. The Main Event is up next…[c]
My Take: A decent match but I don’t really see any reason it needed to be on this show given that we are near the end of the second hour. The Mercedes and Thekla segment was interesting. I guess Thekla is a babyface now and we are in for some back and forth dumb bitch promos.
Don Callis mediated between Kevin Knight and Kyle Fletcher, who were on each other’s nerves. Callis said he got them booked in a tag match for Collision. Okada walked up and reminded Fletcher about the importance of family with a big shit eating grin on his face. Andrade made his entrance with the AEW World Championship contract. He was followed by Callum Newman, Henare, Francesco Akira, and Will Ospreay. The Dogs were out next, and then The Demand.
5. Will Ospreay, Andrade, Henare, Callum Newman, and Francesco Akira vs. Gabe Kidd, Clark Connors, Ricochet, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona: Henare and Toa Liona started the match with a bar fight. Toa got the better of it with a big lariat and tagged in Kaun. They double teamed Henare and cut him off in the heel corner. Connors tagged in and Henare shrugged off his offense. Ospreay tagged in and the match broke down as everybody was suddenly in the ring.
Andrade landed a big splash on the floor, and then everybody piled in to the corner and took a selfie with someone from his fan club. Ricochet then powerbombed Akira off the apron onto the rest of his team on the floor…[c]
Connors sent Akira to the apron, where he had to fend off Kidd and Ricochet. Newman tagged in and cleared the apron on the heel side of the ring. Newman hit the ropes and blitzed Bishop Kaun with a front kick. Newman landed a combination of strikes and another boot to the face. There were some rapid fire tags from United Empire members.
Andrade ended up in the ring with Gabe Kidd, but was sent back to the floor. Henare got isolated by The Demand and Ricochet landed a big splash, but Akira broke up the pinfall. Liona and Kaun let Akira punch himself out and it had no effect on him. They then squished him with running body blocks. Ospreay got in the ring eventually and was in the ring with Ricochet. They traded some impressive reversals until Ospreay landed a rebound kick for a near fall.
Ricochet landed a springboard back elbow and made a tag to Clark Connors. Things spun out of control again with bodies flying everywhere. Newman landed a big lariat on Ricochet. Andrade caught Connors with a back elbow, and invited Ospreay to finish him off. He landed a hidden blade and got the win.
United Empire and Andrade defeated The Demand and The Dogs at 14:03
After the match, the victors celebrated and Andrade shook hands with Ospreay while holding his title contract. A brawl broke out as the losers could not tolerate their defeat. Gabe Kidd threw Andrade over the commentary table. Ospreay intervened, but Kidd gave him a low blow. He then grabbed a chair, but Jon Moxley’s music hit and he headed to the ring with the Death Riders. Moxley squared off with Kidd and they jawed with each other.
Kidd grabbed a chair, but Moxley put himself between Ospreay and Kidd. Andrade entered the ring and brawled to the back with Kidd. They’ll face each other on Collision. Moxley stood over Ospreay and handed him the World Championship. Jon Moxley vs. Will Ospreay for the AEW World Championship was shown on screen for AEW All Out. Moxley looked surprised by this development and backed out of the ring as the show closed.
My Take: Well, they had me worried about Kidd being Ospreay’s challenger for a second, so Moxley seems like a huge upgrade by comparison. I thought they might hold off on Ospreay and Moxley until further down the road and give it a chance to marinate a bit. I guess they can always do more than one match if they want, but AEW rarely repeats main events on back to back PPV events. I guess we’ll see if they can create some magic with this feud in a few short weeks.
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