By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@jakebarnett)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 355)
Nashville, Tennessee, at The Pinnacle
Simulcast live July 22, 2026, on TBS and HBO Max
Excalibur welcomed the audience to the show flanked by Taz and Tony Schiavone. He ran down some highlights from the Redemption card, and announced the main event as Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley, and Will Ospreay vs. The Don Callis Family. Ospreay and Omega appeared together backstage and Ospreay said they were undefeated when teaming together. They teased each other about reaching out during the match when they get tired. Moxley walked up and mockingly said there was no tension in the room, and then walked away. Omega said there wasn’t until he walked up.
In the arena, Darby Allin made his ring entrance for the opening match while video aired picture in picture of Brian Cage attempting to murder him last week. Renee Paquette appeared at ringside and gave some commentary about Darby being put into the hospital the last time he was in this arena. Kevin Knight then made his ring entrance. Knight paced around the ring, and Darby attacked him with a dive as he walked in front of the commentary table.
The action spilled into the crowd and then back into the ringside area. Darby set up Knight on the barricade near the timekeeper’s area, and then delivered a flying clothesline. Then the match started.
1. Darby Allin vs. Kevin Knight for the AEW TNT Championship: Knight gouged Darby’s eyes on the stage and then shoved him off. Darby landed nuts first on the guardrail, and then Knight delivered a springboard elbow that knocked him to the floor. Knight moved the ring steps and then delivered an uppercut to Allin. He then catapulted Darby face first into the bottom of the ring steps.
Back in the ring, Allin set up Darby on the top rope, which quickly became an avalanche Code Red. Darby followed up with a second one for a close near fall. Darby bled a bit from above his right eye. Darby wrenched on Knights arm by wrapping it in the turnbuckle hardware and then sent him to the floor…[c]
Knight landed a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a two count. There was a ref bump as the referee’s head hit the ropes. Knight went to ringside to grab the TNT Championship belt, but Darby ducked and delivered a Scorpion Death Drop. Darby teased using the Championship belt but dropped it. Knight used the belt himself to knock Darby crotch first onto the turnbuckle in the corner. He then hung him in a tree of woe and went coast to coast with a dropkick. Afterward, he landed a UFO Splash and got the win.
Kevin Knight defeated Darby Allin at 11:29
After the match, Knight celebrated his victory for a bit, but was quickly interrupted by Kyle Fletcher and Kazuchika Okada. Knight appeared annoyed by this. Protokada will face Brodido after the break…[c]
My Take: A solid opening match that had the only finish that made sense. At least we didn’t see Allin blow himself up with some ACME Rocket in the process.
Fletcher and Okada remained in control over Bandido as the show returned. He made an acrobatic escape and tagged out to King, who used his fresh battery and power offense to land some heavy strikes to Fletcher and Okada. He delivered a Death Valley Driver to Fletcher on the apron. Okada showed some impressive power by lifting and delivering a backbreaker to King. Fletcher tagged in and landed a high speed kick in the corner.
He attempted a brainbuster, but got planted by King instead for a near fall. Bandido tagged back in and delivered a kick. Fletcher attempted a Powerbomb, but Bandido reversed into a pin for a near fall. He followed up with a pancake with air time for another near fall. King tagged in to land a running cannonball senton, and then Bandido hit a frog splash for a close near fall. Okada broke up the party with a dropkick, but then hit Fletcher accidentally with a Rainmaker.
King sent Okada to the floor and then splashed him on the outside. Bandido delivered a 21 Plex to Fletcher and got the win.
Brodido defeated Protokada at 13:29
After the match, Don Callis looked concerned about the misfire while Brodido celebrated in the ring. Okada gave a fake apology to Fletcher, who freaked out on him. Callis intervened and sent Okada to the back. The Callis family threatened to jump Brodido, but Andrade made his ring entrance to run them off. A preview for Jericho vs. Ciampa was shown for the Redemption PPV. It was voiced over by Painmaker Chris Jericho, and was 1000% corny.
Back in the arena, Mick Foley made his ring entrance. He will interview Willow Nightingale and Thekla up next…[c]
My Take: There is nobody happier about the Don Callis family imploding but me. I just hope the black hole it creates doesn’t suck in another dozen wrestlers before it’s all over. Painmaker Chris Jericho is his worst gimmick and it’s not even close.
Foley introduced Thekla, who walked out onto the stage with Skye Blue and Julia Hart. She introduced herself as the AEW Women’s Champion and Artist of Stardom Champion. Mick then brought out Willow Nightingale. Willow said hello to Mick and the people of Nashville. She also said it was nice to see Thekla face to face instead of getting stabbed in the back. Willow said she was one win away from accomplishing her dream of becoming the AEW Women’s World Champion.
Thekla said she knows Willow is made of rainbows and chirping birds, but she’s not buying any of her crap. She claimed Willow was poisoned inside and wears a mask every time she comes out to the ring. Thekla said she would beat the poison out of her and show how ugly she really is. Willow replied that Thekla was the fake one, but she thinks she acts all big because inside she feels so small. She then said that she only belt she cares about is the AEW Championship, and Thekla was just a shortcut to getting there.
Mick interjected and said he sees a lot of himself in Willow, because they both became Champions on TBS and took a beating while smiling through the pain. Thekla told Mick to shut up, and Willow said she was the one acting like a dumb bitch now. She then said she would put all of herself into making sure she came out on top at Redemption and accomplished her dream.
Thekla replied that when her Rainbows are cloudy, her dreams ruined, and her clouds have been pissed on, she should remember to keep smiling. Thekla then took a cheap shot at Willow. Mick tried to get between them, but Thekla smacked Willow again with a microphone. The action moved to the ring, where Willow surprised Thekla with a pounce. Thekla was forced to retreat.
A video aired to promote Maya World vs. Hikaru Shida for Redemption. Maya World and Willow will face Thekla and Hikaru Shida on Collision as well. In the arena, The Bang Bang Gang made their ring entrance. Jay White will be in the next match. They were followed by Clark Connors, who was by himself.
3. Jay White vs. Clark Connors: Early on Connors escaped to ringside and tried to avoid White altogether. This didn’t last long, as White managed to lure Connors back into the ring and take control of the match. He worked over the left arm of Connors and landed some chops. White continued the attack and Connors tried to escape to the outside to avoid further punishment. Connors used the referee positioning to create some space and then delivered a spear through the ropes onto the stage…[c]
My Take: Willow and Thekla delivered a fun interview. Thekla still has some work to do in regard to coming across like she’s trying way too hard, and Willow’s intensity still feels a little too soft, but taken overall I think the segment accomplished what it was going for.
Connors delivered a shoulder tackle on the apron and then sent White hard into the nearby barricade. He then sat White in a chair and took a run at him, but White moved and Connors collided with the chair. White sidestepped Connors again and delivered a gnarly looking dragon screw. White delivered some strikes and chops, followed by a DDT for a near fall.
After a bit of back and forth, White delivered an elbow strike and a Uranage for a near fall. White went for Blade Runner, but Connors escaped. White followed up with a body kick and a Saito suplex. Connors replied with a powerslam for a two count. He then lined up for a spear, but White turned that into an inverted arm triangle and got the tap out victory.
Jay White defeated Clark Connors at 12:54
After the match, Connors came to and attacked White, and got a Blade Runner for his trouble. David Finlay appeared from the crowd and attacked White with his shillelagh. Connors and Finlay bailed when the rest of the Bang Bang Gang showed back up.
Backstage, Adam Copeland and Christian started to give an interview but were jumped immediately by Pac and Claudio Castagnoli. They got thrown into some equipment crates and stacked up scaffolding. Pac said he couldn’t believe two old men so long in the tooth would think they could cake walk them, and said they would get what was coming to them at Redemption…[c]
My Take: A decent match from White and Connors, but it never seemed to reach high gear and the finish was a bit clunky. I have a hard time getting too excited about Pac and Claudio challenging for the Tag Titles, when better matches for Copeland and Christian are just around the corner.
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