AEW is officially on the countdown to Forbidden Door, and the June 24, 2026 episode of AEW Dynamite left no doubt about the chaotic energy heading into Chicago this Sunday. Backstage blunders, questionable merchandise, and locker room brawls dominated a night designed to finalize the card for one of the company's biggest pay-per-views of the year.

The stakes are high. The winner of the Men's Owen Hart Cup Tournament will secure a world title shot at AEW All In London later this summer. Meanwhile, a massive 12-man steel cage match is set to settle a turf war between the top factions in the promotion.

Will Ospreay's Backstage Spill and the Owen Hart Cup Heat

Before he could focus on his upcoming tournament final against Swerve Strickland, Will Ospreay found himself trending for all the wrong reasons. Backstage, the Death Riders gathered for a quick strategy session. Jon Moxley rallied his crew with a blunt directive:

"Don't stop moving forward."

The faction locked arms and began rotating in a circle. Ospreay lost his footing, falling awkwardly into a large metal bucket as a result. Wheeler Yuta and Daniel Garcia immediately burst into laughter, forcing Ospreay to turn away from the camera to hide his face.

Ospreay later addressed the viral blooper on social media, posting a quick reaction to the clip. The former champion showed he can take a joke at his own expense:

"You gotta laugh 😂"

The comedy quickly evaporated once the bell rang. Ospreay got back to business, defeating El Phantasmo in a hard-hitting singles match. Shortly after, Swerve Strickland took care of his own business, pinning Daniel Garcia with a series of heavy strikes.

Strickland's performance against Garcia was a clear statement of intent. The current World Champion showed no mercy, countering Garcia's technical grappling with raw power and striking. The final sequence saw Strickland land a rolling elbow followed by a devastating House Call kick to secure the victory.

Strickland was not finished after the pinfall, launching a post-match assault on Garcia. Ospreay ran down to make the save, but Strickland caught him with a stiff House Call kick. Ospreay grabbed a steel chair to retaliate, but Strickland rolled out of the ring to escape.

The night kicked off with a high-speed trios match that set the tone for the broadcast. The Death Riders, consisting of Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and Wheeler Yuta, took on the team of Místico, Bandido, and Brody King. Bandido, making a welcome return to regular television after resolving recent visa issues, immediately showed why he belongs in the main event picture with a series of spectacular high-flying maneuvers.

The finish, however, was far from clean. Marina Shafir distracted the referee, allowing Castagnoli to strike Bandido with the AEW Continental Championship belt before Moxley secured the pinfall. This victory gives Moxley momentum heading into his singles title defense against Bandido this Sunday.

Takeshita Retains International Title Before Steel Cage Chaos

In the main event, Konosuke Takeshita successfully defended the AEW International Championship against Ricochet. The match was fought under strict rules, with members of the Gates of Agony and the Don Callis Family banned from ringside. Takeshita was looking to make his third defense since winning the title from Kazuchika Okada at Double or Nothing in May.

The match remained clean until Ricochet pulled the referee in front of him to gain a dirty advantage. Ricochet tried to follow up with the Spirit Gun, but Takeshita slipped out of the way to hit the Raging Fire. As Wrestling Inc. reported, the champion survived a heavy offensive barrage to keep his title intact.

Once the bell rang, the ring dissolved into chaos. Mark Briscoe entered the arena to cut a promo on AEW World Champion MJF. If Briscoe's team wins on Sunday, he earns a world title shot.

This prompted a locker room brawl involving Okada, MJF, and Andrade. MJF accidentally knocked down his own teammate Andrade, allowing Briscoe to drop the champion with a Jay Driller.

Sunday's 12-man steel cage match pits Team MJF and the Don Callis Family against Team Mark Briscoe. The match features Briscoe, Takeshita, Darby Allin, and three partners against MJF, Okada, and four family members. However, the cage match consists entirely of AEW-contracted talent, which hurts the cross-promotional theme of the pay-per-view.

Survival of the Fittest Qualifiers Spark TBS Title Picture

The women's division took center stage with two Survival of the Fittest qualifiers. Harley Cameron pulled off a massive upset against Marina Shafir. Shafir looked dominant, but Cameron reversed the Mother's Milk submission attempt into a backslide pin to steal the win.

Later in the evening, Queen Aminata booked her spot in the match by defeating Red Velvet. Aminata won after hitting the ROH Women's World TV Champion with a blow on the ropes. The Survival of the Fittest match takes place on July 1, 2026. Cameron and Aminata join a loaded field:

  • Hikaru Shida
  • Persephone
  • Kris Statlander
  • One final entrant to be determined

While the midcard division is buzzing, the top of the card is struggling. The build to the Women's Owen Hart Cup final between Mercedes Mone and Maya World has been lazy, relying on a video package to hype the match. Collision will try to save the build with a tag team match pitting Mone and Athena against World and Hyan.

Zack Sabre Jr. Submits Jack Perry in Technical Showcase

Zack Sabre Jr. tuned up for his Sunday clash against Kenny Omega by facing Jack Perry. Sabre Jr. focused on his signature groundwork, twisting Perry into painful submissions. ZSJ eventually forced the submission victory to maintain his momentum.

Perry's effort against the technical master was commendable, but ultimately futile. Perry attempted to use his speed, escaping Sabre Jr.'s initial submission attempts with a series of quick reversals and a running dropkick. However, Sabre Jr. regained control by targeting Perry's left arm, locking in a double wrist lock that left the former Jungle Boy no choice but to tap out.

Backstage, the heels had a different focus as Don Callis and MJF unveiled a new Team DCMJF t-shirt. The shirt featured a highly revealing photo of the two men, which Callis proudly held up. As Ringside News noted, the shirt stole the scene backstage, while the rest of the family looked miserable.

Sabre Jr. is ready for Omega, and the cage match is set. Now AEW must deliver on Sunday.