The San Diego Circus and the Ring That Won't Die

Pull up a barstool, order a pint of whatever cheap lager is on tap, and let's talk about the absolute clinic—and the circus—that went down last night in San Diego. AEW Dynamite opened up with a championship match that was supposed to be a showcase of pure, unadulterated violence. Instead, we got a masterclass in survival, a heap of drama, and a finish that made me want to throw my pretzel bowl at the screen.

Mark Briscoe came in hot after that ridiculous 12-man cage match at Forbidden Door last Sunday. He had MJF on the ropes, hitting the Froggy-Bow and even landing a massive Jay Driller that had the entire arena counting to three in their heads. MJF kicked out by the absolute skin of his teeth, which set up the real tragedy of the night.

When Briscoe tried to drag the champion up the turnbuckle for a second Jay Driller from the top rope, MJF did what he always does when his back is against the wall. He reached out and gouged Briscoe straight in the eyes like a classic cartoon villain. A couple of roll-up counters later, MJF hit the Heatseeker to seal the win after 18 minutes and 28 seconds of absolute chaos.

The live crowd in San Diego was absolutely electric, split right down the middle between the underdog charm of Briscoe and the sheer star power of the champion. You could hear the gasps when Briscoe kicked out of the first Heatseeker attempt, a move that usually ends nights immediately. It shows that MJF's current heel run isn't just about cheap heat; it is about keeping fans on the edge of their seats even when they know a screwjob is coming.

Look, I love MJF as much as the next guy, but the eye-gouge finish is getting lazier than a Sunday afternoon. We get it, he is a heel who does whatever it takes to win, but Briscoe deserved a cleaner end to a match that good. Then, of course, the champ had to go and ruin a post-match respect moment by pulling out the Dynamite Diamond Ring to finish the job.

Thankfully, Kenny Omega ran down to the ring to make the save before MJF could rearrange Briscoe's teeth. The standoff ended with a massive bomb: Omega is getting his title shot, but if he loses, he is banned from challenging for the AEW World Championship ever again. It is a massive gamble, and it sets the stage for a summer of absolute insanity.

Tommy Dreamer Drops Some Truth on Busted Open Radio

If you were listening to Busted Open Radio this morning, ECW legend Tommy Dreamer was singing a very similar tune. Dreamer did not hold back when analyzing the state of the AEW World Championship scene. As WrestlingNews.co reported, Dreamer pointed out that MJF is carrying the entire promotion on his back right now.

“He is putting an incredible workload upon himself, having matches the way he does, also with a bum leg, and continues to go out there and impress,”

Dreamer is spot-on here. MJF has been limping around like a wounded warrior, yet he still delivers weekly 20-minute bangers. It is impressive, sure, but if that leg gives out before Wembley, AEW is in a massive hole.

Remember when MJF was a part-timer who wrestled twice a year and spent the rest of his time cutting promos from the ramp? Those days are long gone, and the man has transformed himself into a workhorse who goes the distance week in and week out. It is a complete 180-degree turn from his early AEW days, showing a maturity that his critics never thought he possessed.

Dreamer also had some massive praise for Mark Briscoe, and honestly, who doesn't love that guy? Briscoe is the heart and soul of the locker room, and his work rate is unmatched. Dreamer openly wished for Briscoe to win the big belt one day, saying "Hopefully one day he can win the AEW world title, because, man, he so deserves it. His matches have been off the charts."

But the real meat of Dreamer's analysis was about the heavy hitters waiting in line for the champ. MJF has a massive bullseye on his chest, and the queue is getting longer by the minute. With Omega in the picture and Will Ospreay holding a guaranteed shot from his Owen Hart Cup victory, the champion is running out of places to hide.

“MJF holding court, MJF being the top guy, MJF having all these guys after him, but the main characters in this story are Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay,”

The Wembley Conundrum and the Spirit of SummerSlam

This brings us to All In at Wembley Stadium, which is rapidly approaching. AEW has a massive decision to make regarding who headliners their biggest show of the year. Do you go with the obvious money match of MJF defending against the hometown hero, Will Ospreay?

Or do you run back the classic rivalry and give the UK fans Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay for the hundredth time? Dreamer weighed both options, and he brought up a great historical comparison. He mentioned the legendary British Bulldog vs. Bret Hart match from SummerSlam in 1992, which took place in the original Wembley Stadium.

That match was a babyface vs. babyface classic that relied on national pride and pure wrestling excellence. An Omega vs. Ospreay match could easily recreate that magic and blow the roof off the place. But Dreamer's gut says that AEW will ultimately stick to the plan and go with MJF vs. Ospreay as the main event.

Ospreay is basically a god in England right now, and the pop he will get at Wembley is going to register on local seismographs. Having him win the Owen Hart Cup was the perfect catalyst to set this whole three-way drama in motion. The fans are dying to see him hold the biggest prize in the industry on home soil.

Let's be real: MJF vs. Ospreay is the match that makes the most sense. You need a clear heel to get the crowd completely behind Ospreay in London, and MJF playing the arrogant American champion is pro wrestling 101. It is simple, effective, and guaranteed to draw a massive gate.

If Tony Khan decides to go the other way, he is overthinking it. Babyface vs. babyface matches are great for work-rate purists, but they rarely have the same dramatic heat. Wembley needs a war, not a mutual respect society meeting.

The Legacy Play and Andrade's Shadow

If MJF somehow survives this gauntlet, his place in history is locked in stone. Dreamer laid out the stakes, and they are astronomical. If MJF beats Kenny Omega on television and then defeats Will Ospreay in front of 80,000 screaming Brits, he becomes untouchable.

He would be doing all of this before he even turns 30 years old. That is a level of dominance that we haven't seen since the days of Randy Orton or Brock Lesnar. It would cement him as the definitive face of this generation of wrestling.

But there is a catch. MJF is currently running on fumes and stubbornness, with the leg injury clearly affecting his movement. You can see him grimacing after every landing, and management needs to protect him before he destroys his career.

And let's not overlook Kenny Omega's physical state either, as he is not exactly a spring chicken himself these days. The Cleaner has taken a lifetime of punishment, and throwing him into a high-stakes, career-threatening match is another massive gamble for the company. AEW is playing with fire by stacking their main event scene with guys who are one bad bump away from the operating table.

And let's not forget about the other guys lurking in the shadows. Dreamer threw out another name that people are sleeping on: Andrade. The former champion has been quietly putting together great matches and could easily step in as the next major challenger once the dust settles from Wembley.

But for now, the spotlight belongs to MJF and his struggle to keep the crown. He is wrestling like a man possessed, but he is playing a dangerous game. If he isn't careful, the workload won't just cement his legacy—it might just break his body for good.