Well it's not the stacked-to-the-gills show that was AEW Revolution 2025, and this lineup feels decidedly B-PPV in comparison, but AEW Dynasty is this weekend and should still be a very fun show (with almost certainly a better main event than last month).
Sooo yeah, it's the beginning of a new cycle of storylines, whereas Revolution was the climax of several of the previous ones. You're not going to follow up the greatest women's feud ever for example with something that tops it, only four weeks later. Will Ospreay is probably not overshadowing the greatest cage match in history with a first-round Owen Cup match against a last-minute substitution. But Dynasty will have some pretty great matches and hopefully, mercifully, if things go the way they should, we'll have a brand new AEW Champion who will finally get to continue the reign that never should have ended the way it did.
Let's take a look at the nine-match main show card.....
Women's Owen Cup: Mercedes Moné vs. Julia Hart
The brackets of both Owen tourneys have been announced, and Mercedes is gunning for a fifth strap to add to her collection (I guess sixth if you include the Owen belt and the AEW Women's Title she's aiming for at All In). Looking at this field she's obviously a favorite to win the whole thing, especially since Toni Storm vs. Mercedes Moné is the biggest possible women's match they could do in Arlington. But it's possible they have Athena beat her in the semifinals to set up a TBS Title match between them. What's not in doubt is that Mercedes is beating Julia here. The match should be very good; Julia can deliver with the right opponent, and Mercedes is one of the best in the game.
Pick: Mercedes
Men's Owen Cup: Will Ospreay vs. Kevin Knight
So apparently this was supposed to be Will vs. Jay White, until White got some sort of hand injury last week. A) It seems an odd choice to have two of the top seeds facing off in the first round, and B) I can't believe Jay was supposed to get knocked out that early (No way it was gonna be Will taking the loss, right?). But that would've been a marquee match for this show, certainly. I wonder if White was originally supposed to face Hangman, since it would be their third meeting and Jay holds two wins over Page. Regardless, that's all out the window, and Kevin Knight has stepped up to take this slot. The match should be great, as it's Will fucking Ospreay, and Knight has a great opportunity to deliver a career-to-date-defining match, even in a loss. It will be a loss, obviously; Ospreay's at least getting to the semifinals if not winning the Owen outright.
Pick: Ospreay
Men's Owen Cup: Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe
This was just added and I'm glad to see it given a PPV slot. Kyle fucking rules, Mark is always great, their prior matches together have been excellent, and this should be a banger. Kyle has to advance of course.
Pick: Kyle
AEW Tag Team Championship: The Hurt Syndicate vs. Big Bill & Bryan Keith
Another match derailed by an injury, this was meant to be Lashley and Benjamin vs. The Murder Machines, but Brian Cage is on the shelf. Thus Chris Jericho's pair of buffoons has found themselves challenging for the tag straps. Bobby and Shelly don't seem terribly worried about this tandem but I'm sure the match will be booked to give them some credibility, and likely MJF will interfere on The Hurt Syndicate's behalf.
Pick: The Hurt Syndicate retains
AEW Trios Championship: The Death Riders vs. Rated FTR
Finally the goddamn Trios Titles are being defended on a PPV. Claudio, Pac and Wheeler have had these things since last August and we barely ever see the belts. The bigger story here is that Rated FTR is headed for a split. Dax and Cash are on the rocks, and the idea is obviously to make everyone think FTR is going to split up. But I think the clear move is FTR turning heel and Cope reuniting with Christian to feud with them. Thus the Death Riders win.
Pick: Death Riders retain
TNT Championship: Daniel Garcia vs. Adam Cole
This is the third match for these two, and since the previous two encounters ended in draws, this match has no time limit and no one is allowed at ringside. As TNT Title matches generally have a 20-minute time limit, this can go 22 minutes and still deliver on the stipulation. I have to think Cole finally gets his hands on some AEW gold, and I'm hoping it leads to a Wardlow return since that build never paid off last year. Match should be quite good.
Pick: Cole
ROH Championship vs. Mask: Chris Jericho vs. Bandido
I haven't watched the Collision match these two had a while back but I read it was pretty great. This should be too. Bandido is a unique talent and I'm glad to see him finally getting a push. He's clearly not losing his mask here, so get ready for another title change.
Pick: Bandido
International Championship: Kenny Omega vs. Ricochet vs. "Speedball" Mike Bailey
This should be spectacular. Omega vs. Ric would've been the bigger match, but I get why Bailey is there. As a new signing he can have a show stealer and also eat the pin without it damaging him. Meanwhile Ric lives to fight another day. Omega's keeping this title till All In where it hopefully gets merged with the Continental Championship.
Pick: Kenny retains
AEW Women's Championship: Toni Storm vs. Megan Bayne
Once again Toni's is one of the matches I'm most excited for. Even though it's been given the impossible task of following Toni vs. Mariah, the build for this has been very strong, and Megan has stepped up in terms of showing some charisma despite never cutting a promo. The match should be excellent and will be another case of a new AEW signing making their mark in a losing effort. Hopefully Megan won't get downcycled; she'll need another good feud after this. Toni is the company MVP at the moment and is the closest thing they have to a true breakout star. Give her all the TV time she wants and watch ratings and ticket sales flourish.
Pick: Toni retains
AEW World Championship: Jon Moxley vs. Swerve Strickland
Please Tony, I'm fuckin' beggin' ya. Pull the trigger on the title change here. Moxley is great, he's been one of the company's cornerstones over the last six years, but we're all REALLY tired of him as champion right now. It should be very telling that his program with Cope last month was for most viewers one of the least interesting parts of Revolution, and their match was overwhelmingly at the bottom of everyone's match rankings for that show. The main event program most of us want for All In is Swerve vs. Hangman. It's troubling that Vegas has Swerve as a slight underdog in this match.
What needs to happen here, given the Swerve-Hangman exchange on Dynamite this week ("You burned my house down!" "You deserved it!" "I know..."), is Hangman interferes, teases like he's going to screw over Swerve, instead costs Moxley the match and the title, Moxley becomes the Owen Cup wild card vs. Hangman, Swerve returns the favor and helps Hangman win, and thus the two mortal enemies ensure that they'll face each other, for the title, at the biggest show of the year. This shit books itself. Please Tony, don't make the same mistake you made in 2024. Swerve needs to win this, and Hangman needs to win the Owen.
Pick: Swerve
Alright, so there's the lineup. It's a very good on-paper lineup if not the slam dunk Revolution was. With that show I was certain I'd see a landmark PPV (and I did), with this one they'll have to work hard to get it there. But it should be very enjoyable at worst.
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