By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
AEW Redemption Pre-Show
Montreal, Quebec, at Bell Centre
Streamed live July 26, 2026, on AEW YouTube and HBO Max
-Renee Paquette and Mick Foley opened the show from a suite. The broadcast team of Excalibur, Nigel McGuinness, and Tony Schiavone checked in from their ringside broadcast table.
-Jeff Jarrett joined Paquette and Foley. Dixie Carter snuck up behind Jarrett and hit him with a chair. Okay, not really. The hosts previewed Thekla vs. Willow Nightingale for the AEW Women’s Championship.
-Ring announcer Arkady Aura introduced Matt Menard as “Daddy Magic.” He headed to the ring and tried to fire up his hometown crowd. Menard introduced Raymond Rougeau and Jacques Rougeau. “The All-American Boys” made their entrance and shook hands with fans. Schiavone noted that Raymond is the Mayor of “a nearby city” (Rawdon, Quebec).
Raymond spoke to the crowd in French and mentioned his family members who were also wrestlers. He switched to English and said that it’s been an 80-year love story between his family and the fans. Raymond thanked Tony Khan and AEW on behalf of his entire family.
Menard looked like he was going to ask Jacques a question, but Jacques took the mic, which made Menard crack up. Jacques looked to the crowd and spoke in French before switching to English to say, “But you can kiss my ass.” He thanked the fans around the world who booed them like the haters in the crowd tonight. Jacques said he had a dream and asked the fans if they had their phones. The Rougeaus had the crowd hold up their phones with their lights on, and then led the fans in singing “Olé, Olé, Olé.”
Don Callis’s entrance noise played. Rocky Romero walked onto the stage and took issue with the fans celebrating the Rougeau fans like they are something special. Romero entered the ring and jabbed his index finger into Raymond’s chest while saying the only family in pro wrestling that matters is the Don Callis Family. Romero turned his attention to Jacques and said, “If I had a roll of quarters right now.” Jacques slapped Romero and then held him while Raymond kicked him in the gut.
Powell’s POV: I don’t speak French, so I don’t have much to say about the tribute. I did enjoy the “roll of quarters” reference from Romero. Do a Google search for “Rougeau Brothers vs. British Bulldogs, roll of quarters” if you’re not familiar with that story.
-Aura introduced Ricochet, Toa Liona, and Bishop Kaun. The Demand trio headed to ringside, where Ricochet joined the broadcast team while Liona and Kaun sat behind him. Entrances for the AEW Trios Title match followed.
1. Orange Cassidy, Roderick Strong, and Kyle O’Reilly vs. Jay Lethal, Blake Christian, and Lee Johnson for the AEW Trios Titles. Christian wore a denim jacket to start the match.
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