By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@jakebarnett)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 352)
San Diego, California, at Viejas Arena
Simulcast live July 1, 2026, on TBS and HBO Max
Will Ospreay was interviewed backstage by Renee Paquette. This took place on Sunday following the Forbidden Door PPV. He started to speak about how much pride he feels about getting a win and going home to Wembley when Jox Moxley walked up. Moxley and Ospreay then had a conversation, and Moxley told Ospreay that he was proud of him, and how it was up to them to make All Elite Wrestling a better place and put an end to the bucket of crabs mentality in Pro Wrestling. He offered him a membership into the Death Riders and handed him a jacket patch.
Moxley walked away and Kenny Omega entered the picture. He congratulated him and Ospreay noticed he was looking at the patch, and told him that just because he had given up on himself didn’t mean Ospreay had to. Omega took exception, but MJF walked up and said he was amused by their lovers quarrel, and told Ospreay he would see him at Wembley. Omega told Ospreay the patch didn’t change what they had, wished him luck, and said he loved him.
In the arena, Mark Briscoe made his entrance for the opening match. He was followed by MJF. Justin Roberts made ring announcements. MJF forced Roberts to say he wasn’t from the left coast, he was from the best coast.
1. Mark Briscoe vs. MJF for the AEW World Championship: MJF sold his knee injury from the PPV and sold some pain. He managed to plant Briscoe with a piledriver and landed some mounted punches. Briscoe bled from the forehead and MJF continued the pressure with strikes. Briscoe recovered and fired back with a suplex and climbed to the top rope. MJF dropped Briscoe onto his groin and they battled on the ropes. Briscoe knocked down MJF and delivered an elbow drop for a close near fall.
He set up for a Jay Driller, but MJF wrenched the arm and escaped. Briscoe avoided an MJF attack and sent him to the floor, and followed up with a suicide dive. He followed up with a second one, and then pulled a table from underneath the ring. Briscoe tossed MJF into the ring steps before setting up the table at ringside. He set up MJF on the table and climbed up top, but MJF spring to his feet and tossed him off the turnbuckle and onto the ring apron. He then put the table underneath the ring and played to the crowd…[c]
My Take: I’m very curious what Jon Moxley’s reaction will be if Ospreay ultimately decides to be his own man and doesn’t become a full member of the Death Riders. The diss that Ospreay delivered about Omega giving up on himself also seemed to strike a chord. It seems like both men will be primed as early opponents for Ospreay if he captures the AEW World Championship at Wembley.
MJF spit in Briscoe’s face when the show returned. They battled on the outside and Briscoe attempted a Jay Driller on the exposed floor, but MJF reversed out with a back body drop. MJF then went for a Tombstone on the concrete, but Briscoe escaped and landed a scoop slam on the floor. Briscoe then followed up with a Cactus Jack elbow from the apron. Back in the ring, Briscoe landed a high angle Death Valley Driver for a close near fall.
Briscoe attempted another Jay Driller on the apron, but MJF escaped and the action spilled out to the floor again. There was an awkward spot on the floor where Briscoe hit a chop while MJF went for a big boot, but it seemed like the boot landed anyways. Briscoe didn’t sell it and placed MJF back on a table at ringside on top of the exposed floor. Briscoe then landed a Froggy Bow through the table and sent MJF into the ring. He covered and MJF was able to get his foot on the ropes.
Both men traded heavy strikes. Briscoe won the strike battle and landed another Froggy Bow. He then delivered a Jay Driller and covered for a close near fall. He then dragged MJF into the corner and set up for an Avalanche Jay Driller, but MJF escaped. They traded pinning attempts and reversals. MJF got the better of it and delivered a heat seeker and got the win.
MJF defeated Mark Briscoe to retain the AEW World Championship at 18:34
After the match, MJF took a punched Briscoe with the Dynamite Diamond Ring, and talked trash from the turnbuckle. He then shoved AEW officials from the ring to attack Briscoe again, but Kenny Omega ran down to prevent further damage. Omega got on the microphone and challenged MJF to another match later in the show, since he had enough energy to use tables, ladders, rings, and belts. MJF said it was bad enough he had to come to California to wrestle a white trash hick, but he couldn’t believe Omega thought he deserved another title shot after he beat him last time.
MJF refused the match and called Omega a fraud. He then said he’d give him another match on one condition. If MJF wins, the same thing happens to Omega that happened to his pal Hangman Page, Omega will never be able to be World Champion ever again. He said he wanted an answer by the end of the night. Omega looked on dejected…[c]
My Take: A very strong match, but I never bought into the idea of Briscoe getting the win. Omega considering the Hangman stipulation would be a good time for Hangman to make a return, no?
Renee Paquette asked MJF about whether he’s prepared for Kenny Omega if he accepts a match for next week? MJF addressed Andrade first and said revenge is coming for him, and he won’t see it coming. He then addressed Omega and said he doesn’t have to worry about him because he was gutless and wouldn’t accept the challenge. Will Ospreay walked up and asked him why that stipulation, and MJF said it was because he was the Champion and he isn’t. He told Ospreay that whether he believed it or the schmucks at home did, he was the best in the world.
In the arena, Andrade was interviewed by Tony Schiavone. He said he was done with the Don Callis family and it was time to be a pendejo to MJF and become the AEW World Champion. He was then ambushed from behind by the Don Callis family and dragged to the ring. Brian Cage landed a Drillclaw piledriver on him. Callis then ordered his guys to throw Andrade out of the ring so Kevin Knight could defend his AEW TNT Championship…[c]
My Take: A fun interaction between Ospreay and MJF. I like the tension they are establishing between them that they have a chance to ratchet up as we get closer to All In.
A pre-taped interview from Mercedes Mone aired. She claimed ownership of the division and All In was the final step in taking over what was already hers. In the arena, Lio Rush made his entrance with the ROH TV Championship in a backpack.
2. Lio Rush vs. Kevin Knight for the AEW TNT Championship: Knight took the bait and opened the backpack, and got rolled up from behind for his trouble for a two count. Rush landed some strikes, and Jake Doyle pulled Knight to ringside to bail him out. Rush galloped around the ring and took out Knight with a kick…[c]
Knight knocked Rush off the top rope and then landed a kick as he charged back into the corner. He followed up with a backbreaker and favored his knee. The announce team explained Knight had fallen victim to a booby trap on Sunday and had crashed through tables as a result. Rush capitalized and delivered a kick and applied a submission. Jake Doyle pulled him out of the submission, and Rush sent Doyle into the ring post. Knight took advantage and performed a springboard lariat. He then delivered a sit out powerbomb and a Uranage and got the win.
Kevin Knight defeated Lio Rush at 8:52
After the match, Darby Allin made his way out onto the stage. Allin told Knight he wanted a title match, and said that he would continue to have “accidents” until he gave him one. Knight started to offer him a match when Don Callis stole the microphone and told him no. Callis said he crossed the line with his stunt from wrestler to criminal, and he would not reward a criminal with a title match as long has he had any say over it. Darby told Knight he was digging his own grave, and Callis said he wouldn’t rest until he puts Darby in a jail cell.
Footage was then shown of Chris Jericho using JD Drake and Tony Schiavone to send a message to Tommaso Ciampa. Backstage, Ciampa was interviewed by Renee Paquette, who asked him about the situation, but Jericho ambushed him before he could give an answer. They brawled around backstage and outside the building. Officials continued to approach and pull them apart, but they broke free several times and engaged each other again. Eventually they were separated by an army of officials. They have a match scheduled for next week on Dynamite.
Up next, Jon Moxley and Will Ospreay take on The Swirl…[c]
My Take: I’m not sure why it had to take almost 9 minutes for Kevin Knight to defeat Lio Rush, but it did. The stuff with Knight and Darby is alright, but the idea that Darby is some kind of deranged adult Kevin McCallister doesn’t do much for me.
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