By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@jakebarnett)
AEW Dynamite (Episode 356)
Detroit, Michigan, at the Masonic Temple Theater
Simulcast live July 29, 2026, on TBS and HBO Max
The show began with Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, and Taz sitting at commentary. Excalibur ran through some segments on the show, including Willow Nightingale’s title celebration and Jon Moxley facing Komander for the International Title. A video was then shown that focused on the conflict that unfolded between Kenny Omega, Will Ospreay, and Jon Moxley at the end of the Redemption PPV. Additional footage was shown of Moxley backstage watching Kenny Omega delivered a One Winged Angel, and Moxley expressing exasperation that Ospreay didn’t identity Omega as a shark at the top of the food chain.
Ospreay was interviewed by Renee Paquette outside the building when the Death Riders approached him. Daniel Garcia tried to get in his face but caught an elbow. Moxley calmed the situation down and asked Ospreay if he really wanted to do that. Ospreay told Moxley he didn’t get to pull the trigger for him, and handed the Death Riders patch back to him and told him he was out. Hangman Page then walked up and offered Ospreay some help if he needed it, but Ospreay told him he couldn’t trust Kenny so he couldn’t trust him.
Hangman said he understood the look on his face and that he knows when he gets to Wembley he’ll be the best he’s ever been. He then told him he hopes that he believes in himself.
Back in the arena, Jack Perry made his ring entrance for the opening match. He was followed by Nick Wayne and AEW National Champion Andrade El Idolo.
1. Nick Wayne vs. Jack Perry vs. Andrade El Idolo for the AEW National Championship: Perry blasted Andrade with a Superkick at the opening bell. Wayne and Perry then skirmished for a moment until Andrade returned fire on both of them with a double suplex. Perry took out Nick Wayne on the floor with a facebuster. Andrade then took out Perry with a dive to the floor. After a quick photo opportunity with a woman standing near the barricade, Andrade got caught with a sliced bread from Nick Wayne. All three men continued to trade strikes in the ring until all three were down on the mat…[c]
My Take: Interesting opening moments to the show with Ospreay basically declaring himself on an island with no friends. Hangman apparently spent all his time off in therapy, apparently? Seemed almost unsettlingly positive.
Perry ended up stranded on the turnbuckle. Andrade battled with him, but ultimately Perry took him off the apron to the floor with a hurracarrana. Wayne then surprised Perry with a Destroyer from the ring out to the floor. Wayne delivered a Fisherman’s Buster suplex and covered, but Perry managed to get back into the ring to break it up. The action broke down and moved at a frenetic pace. Perry landed three back to back suicide dives and a moonsault from the top rope onto both Andrade and Wayne at ringside.
He then brought Wayne back into the ring and landed a sit out Powerbomb for a close near fall. Andrade returned and landed a series of kicks on Wayne and sent Perry to the outside. He then went for a top rope splash, but Wayne got the knees up. Wayne then landed a Phoenix Splash, but Perry broke up the fall. Andrade landed his signature back elbow on Perry and then the DM on Wayne for the win.
Andrade El Idolo defeated Nick Wayne and Jack Perry at 14:28
After the match Schiavone asked Andrade how he felt. He said he felt tranquilo because he had screwed MJF and Don Callis. He then said he could fight anyone, but he wanted to be the best National Champion ever. Schiavone informed him a number one contender would be crowned for his title next week in Mexico, to which he replied “How you know?” and left.
Backstage, the Brawling Birds said they didn’t have much to say to Divine Dominion. They said they were both undefeated and they had been ducking them for long enough. They also said MIT can pick any two of their members and they would take them on anytime…[c]
My Take: Andrade being saddled with the National Title is a bummer, but the match was a solid show opener if you can unsee all the no selling. I hope they have some angle planned for the Birds and Divine Dominion because that promo was as basic as it gets.
The Don Callis Family was interviewed backstage. Fletcher and Kevin Knight bickered back and forth. Fletcher teased him for losing to Omega, and Knight was forced to admit that he’d lost but was happy to go toe to toe with one of the best ever in a PPV main event. He told Fletcher to watch out for Speedball because the International Title was at risk next week. Fletcher replied that the title would never leave the family, at which point Kazuchika Okada walked up and said Fletcher was right, it would stay in the family.
In the arena, Jake Doyle and Brian Cage joined Kyle Fletcher in the ring. They were followed by Brodido and Speedball Mike Bailey.
2. “Speedball” Mike Bailey, Brody King, and Bandido vs. Kyle Fletcher, Jake Doyle, and Brian Cage: King and Fletcher started the match. Fletcher backed up King into the heel corner and tag Jake Doyle. Doyle and Cage delivered a double team suplex to King, and then tagged Fletcher back in. King recovered and delivered some chops to Fletcher, and then made a tag. The babyface team made rapid tags and then took turns delivering lariats to Fletcher. King then took out Cage and Doyle with one as well. Fletcher got to his feet and hit the ropes, and ate a big lariat from King as well.
Bandido entered the match and picked up Fletcher for a delayed vertical suplex. The action spilled outside, where Cage got involved by powerbombing Bandido into the ring post…[c]
Fletcher continued to control Bandido as the show returned. He fired back with a DDT, but Brian Cage entered the match to prevent a tag. Bandido eventually broke free and tagged in Brody King, who entered the ring and mopped up all the Callis Family members with big strikes and a cannonball on Doyle and Cage in the corner. Bailey tagged in and tussled with Fletcher. He landed a standing double knee press and a spinning heel kick. Both men made tags.
Doyle and Bandido were then legal, and Bandido lifted the big man up for a press slam. He followed up with a splash, but Doyle rolled through and landed a powerslam. King entered the match and landed a discus elbow on Doyle. Cage then entered and hit an F5 on King. Fletcher and Speedball took each other out and ended up on the floor. Bandido landed a superkick on Doyle and fired up for the 21 plex. Doyle popped up and blasted him with an elbow.
Bandido tagged in Bailey, who landed an Ultimate Weapon on Doyle due to him being unaware of the tag. He then followed up with a sunset flip into a pin for the win. Fletcher looked shocked at the loss after the bell rang.
Mike Bailey, Bandido, and Brody King defeated Jake Doyle, Brian Cage, and Kyle Fletcher at 13:49
After the match, Excalibur announced Mya World vs. Persephone is up next…[c]
My Take: A decent match that gives Bailey a little shine ahead of his match with Fletcher. Not much else to it.
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