By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Dynasty Pre-Show
Vancouver, British Columbia, at Rogers Arena
Streamed live April 12, 2026, on AEW social media platforms
-The pre-show was hosted by Renee Paquette, Jeff Jarrett, Paul Wight, and RJ City.
-Footage aired from earlier in the day of Paquette attempting to interview TBS Champion Willow Nightingale. Kamille attacked Willow and left her lying. Kamille looked into the camera and said, “I’m back, baby.” Paquette stood on the stage and said Kamille would be in action tonight.
Powell’s POV: Kamille returned to AEW television days before her run on the American Gladiators reboot premieres on Prime Video. Coincidence? Either way, it’s good to see her again.
-The broadcast team of Excalibur, Nigel McGuinness, and Tony Schiavone checked in from their desk at ringside. Ring announcer Arkady Aura delivered introductions for the opening match while the entrances took place.
1. Marina Shafir vs. Alex Windsor. The fans cheered when the bell rang to start the match. Shafir was dominant early. Windsor came back briefly, but Shafir cut it off with a uranage. Shafir threw a kick at Windsor, who fired up and took more. Windsor got up and caught Shafir’s leg when she threw another kick. Windsor headbutted Shafir twice. Windsor followed up with a Pumphandle Half Nelson Driver and got the three count…
Alex Windsor beat Marina Shafir in 8:55.
Powell’s POV: I’m mildly surprised by Windsor going over. I probably shouldn’t be since Shafir’s last singles win in AEW was back on January 14 when she beat Zayda Steel (she had a singles win in ROH after that).
2. Kamille vs. Big Anne. Big Anne’s entrance was not televised. Kamille dominated the match and hoisted up Anne in a torture rack before slamming her to the mat and pinning her…
Kamille beat Big Anne in 1:25.
After the match, Willow Nightingale blew off a referee and a crew member who tried to stop her from going to the ring. Kamille attacked Willow as she was coming through the ropes and worked her over for good heat. Kamille dropped Willow with a pump kick and then stood over her. Schiavone said Willow’s shoulder is still bothering her…
Powell’s POV: Just a quick squash win. I imagine that this will lead to Kamille challenging for the TBS Title soon.
3. Jack Perry vs. Mark Davis for the AEW National Championship. Both entrances were televised. Davis was the early aggressor, but Perry came back by running him into the ring post. Perry used the post to swing around and kick Davis. Perry sent Davis back in the ring and went up top, but Davis got up and slammed him to the mat.
A short time later, Perry hit Sliced Bread No. 2 for a near fall. Davis went back on the offensive with an assortment of power moves. Perry battled back again and performed a piledriver for a good near fall. Perry executed a huracanrana and then hooked Davis’s legs while pinning him…
Jack Perry beat Mark Davis in 8:30 to retain the AEW National Championship.
Powell’s POV: A nice pre-show match. Most of the fans showed up for the pre-show, and they are a lively bunch and are mic’d well. They got upset and taunted referee Stephon Smith for not making the three count when Perry covered Davis after the piledriver. It was close, but it didn’t look like Smith did anything wrong. I can’t even imagine how these fans would have reacted had they been in attendance when Alisha Edwards was late to break up a pin and the referee stopped counting during the TNA Rebellion main event.
4. Megan Bayne and Lena Kross vs. Maya World and Hyan for the AEW Women’s Tag Team Titles. Both entrances were televised. The champions isolated Hyan. When Hyan was about to tag out, Bayne knocked World off the apron. World eventually took the hot tag and got the better of the champions. Hyan tagged in again and hit Kross with a running knee strike. World performed a Blockbuster on Kross and then Hyan covered her for a two count. Kross put both challengers down before tagging out.
Bayne performed a simultaneous Samoan Drop and fallaway slam on both opponents. She followed up with a big clothesline on World for a near fall. Kross tagged in, and it looked like she and Bayne performed a double team move. Excalibur, who initially thought the same thing, told viewers that one of the challengers actually put them both down. In the end, the champions double chokeslammed Hyan before Bayne pinned her…
Megan Bayne and Lena Kross defeated Maya World and Hyan in 10:35 to retain the AEW Women’s Tag Team Titles.
Powell’s POV: A decent match. It felt like it went longer than it needed to, but I guess it depends on whether the company wants to do more with World and Hyan. It was good to see all of the pre-show matches end within the hour rather than have the last one run into the pay-per-view again. I’ll end my pre-show coverage here, as the announcers were running through the main card with just a few minutes before the top of the hour.
Check out my AEW Dynasty pay-per-view review via the main page.
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